Betrayed
by The Halfa Wannabe
Summary: His heart spoke to him, told him he'd always protect his precious people, but when the village turns against him, Naruto had little choice but to leave. Now his heart will sing a new song. Only question is, Will it be a song of Vengeance?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it would be freaking awesome if I did, but I don't. (So pray to your god in thanks) Muwahahahahaha! 

"DEMON!"

"STUPID FOX!"

"You could never be a ninja." It was those words that cut Naruto Uzumaki the deepest.

He watched in silent horror as one of the villagers reached forward and ripped the metal plate from his forehead. He didn't feel the rocks that smashed his femur, or the blades that cut through his clothes and left muscles torn and bone exposed. His struggles were all focused towards getting his fore-head protector back.

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_12 hours earlier with Sakura Haruno._

_She sat silently on her bed, staring across her room at a picture that sat on her desk. It was Team seven. Kakashi Hitake, their Sensei who had kept silent and careful vigil over the three of them. Naruto Uzumaki, the loud mouth who'd been nicknamed Konoha's Number One, Hyperactive, Knucklehead Ninja. Herself, Sakura Haruno, a brain if you ever met one. and Sasuke Uchiha, the handsome boy who's mysterious personality had never ceased to fascinate, until recently._

_She didn't know why she stared at him, she didn't even know why she used to like him. She just did. Not that he'd ever done anything to deserve her affections, or even to encourage them. She'd known something was off since she woke up, she just didn't know what until she'd spotted her crush walking down the street, and realized, he didn't interest her._

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Present with Naruto

The crowd silenced as a gentle hand reached down and picked Naruto up from the floor. The same hand wrapped itself around the metal and cloth that made up Naruto's world, that symbolized his dream to become Hokage, his dream to finally be accepted. It was scuffed and marked with scratches running across the surface of the metal, one disected the leaf symbol of Konohagakure, the village hidden in the leaves.

The woman who'd helped him up brought his eyes up to hers, and reflected in them was a fury deeper than any he'd seen in them before. Tsunade, the fifth Hokage turned towards the angry mob that had attacked the one she considered a younger brother with nothing short of murder in her eyes, though for once she held those emotions in check.

"How dare you. I should have you all thrown in jail now." The icy tone and violence behind the whisper of her voice broke through the hate induced cloud of the mob. "If I were him, I'd kill all of you right now." She looked down at her friend and brother. "Naruto? What do you want to do?"

His voice was barely above a whisper, "Let 'em go. Just let them go."

A voice cut out of the back of the crowd. "We can't let that demon live! We've disrespected the dead long enough by letting that, creature, live."

Tsunade's eyes spoke volumes, but the voice was silenced by a small rock hurtled at him lightly from her palm. Had she let any force leak into the throw, it would probably have gone straight through his head, as it was, it left a nasty dent and a horrible headache behind it.

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_5 hours earlier with Sakura Haruno._

_Her feet were carrying her towards the flower shop where Ino Yamanaka worked. The same shop that had been in her mother's family for several generations. She stared for several minutes before pushing the door open and walking in._

_Ino perked up believing a customer had walked in, then scowled when she saw who it was. "What are you doing here billboard brow?" While there was a current of dislike in her tone, the insult was given lightly, almost in a joking manner. The friendship that had ended several years previously was starting anew._

_"I don't kmow. Just thought I'd come in and see what flowers you have." Sakura frowned as she noticed the sky outside had suddenly darkened and water was starting to fall. "And I really didn't feel like going for a swim."_

_Ino smirked lightly. "Can't blame you. Looks like it's gonna be one heck of a storm."_

_Sakura nodded her consent and remained silent for a while. "Ino?"_

_The questioning tone in her one-time friend's voice caused the blond to sit up and rest her elbows on the counter. "Yeah, what is it Sakura?" Curiousity even caused her to forget to add an insult._

_"Have you ever thought, that you loved someone, and suddenly realized you didn't want to be with them?"_

_"What having second thoughts about Sasuke?" Ino laughed until she noticed that Sakura was nodding._

_"Kinda, it's just, I'm not thinking of Sasuke at all... for all I cared for him, I just, I don't want him anymore."_

_Ino looked at her strangely before walking around the counter and putting a hand on her forehead. "Well it doesn't feel like you have a fever."_

_Sakure pushed her hand away laughing. "That's cause I'm serious Ino. He's not... he's just not the right one."_

_Ino's eyes twinkled in merriment. "Then who is?"_

_Sakura shrugged. "I don't know. I just, I know what I want, I want someone sweet, someone who will listen to what I have to say someon..."_

_"Hey Sakura!" The intrusion came from a bundle of pure energy she knew very well._

_"Uh, Naruto, what do you want?" A small vein on her forehead pulsed lightly_

_Ino watched in amusement almost sure of what would happen._

_"Well I saw you in here and just thought I'd ask if you wanna go do something on Friday." The smile on his face showed hope even though Ino knew there was none._

_Sakura sighed and shook her head. "No Naruto, I don't."_

_Naruto's smile fell and Ino saw sadness enter his eyes. "Fine. I get it. It's your precious Sasuke." He looked down. "Well good luck, I'm done." He walked out of the door into the falling rain and jumped onto the roof of the building next door before moving off away from the site of his broken heart._

_Ino looked on a bit saddened by the scene. "You know Sakura, he's not **that** bad. Maybe you should give it a try. I doubt he'd do anything too bad."_

_Sakura turned to her. "I know. It's just, he's just not..."_

_"Sasuke?" Ino interrupted. "but aren't you the one who just told me you didn't want Sasuke, that you wanted someone who'd care about you?"_

_"Um, that's not exactly what I "_

_"WHO CARES! You said you don't want Sasuke, and you just turned down one of the most decent guys we know. If you don't try, how do you expect to find the one?"_

_Sakura looked down at her feet and thought about what her friend has said._

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Present with Naruto Uzumaki

"Creature?" Tsunade's voice became shrill and the edge to it could have cut someone in half. "Naruto's lived in this village his whole life, he was born here, he was born from someone who lived here, that boy is no more a creature than you are! In face, he's LESS of a creature than you. Naruto Uzumaki is a Shinobi of this village. When he put on that Headband, he swore his allegiance, more than that, he swore his life to protect this village, and everyone in it, and you attacked him. He may have the Kyuubi in him, but from where I stand you're more demonic than he could ever be!"

A gasp cut through the air at the back of the crowd. "No, no that can't be true."

Sakura backed away even as Naruto lifted his head. "Sakura, no, please don't, please."

He limped towards her slowly, even with his demonic chakra, his leg wasn't healed enough yet for much. "Please, don't hate me. Please it's still me." His hand reached out towards her.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" She slapped his hand away and he fell to the muddy ground, crying. "You're a monster, you killed all those people. I can't believe I was actually gonna say yes, that I was gonna go out with you." The pink-haired girl ran away from the scene as fast as her legs could carry her.

Naruto lay in the mud for several minutes before his tears gave out. "No, not now, now everyone, and, I can't. no, I won't go back to that. I WON'T!" Naruto rose to his feet, red chakra pouring through his veins, his leg wrenched itself back into place. His cuts started to burn slightly as they vanished.

Blue chakra flared from his body while red produced an aura around him. The energy slowly started to gather in his hand, and a glowing blue and red sphere started to appear in it. The villagers moved away, while the Hokage moved forward. "Naruto, Naruto calm down, it's gonna be okay, it's all gonna be okay."

The Rasengan in his hand flared brighter illuminating the faces of those around him. His left hand dropped the forehead protector into a puddle of mud. "I won't go back to everyone hating me." He raises his hand and rammed his hand straight toward his face.

"NARUTO! NO!"

Before the Rasengan hit his chakra flared one last time. It flared as pure demonic hatred seeped into it and caused it to burst in his hand. The energy ran up his arm causing his flesh to bubble, his bones to melt and his muscles to explode. The same chakra was at the same time trying to heal the damage done. In less than a minute the terrifying transformation ended, and Naruto's arm was whole again. He closed it lightly looking in horror at the monstrosity that was attached to him. "My arm." Bone and skin were fused with muscle, none of his arm had been left in anything one could recognize as human.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" With an unearthly howl he struck his hands together in a series of signs as many more of him appeared. Each moved with an intensity the likes of which nobody in the crowd had seen before. With that, hundreds of Narutos ran from the village in different directions and in the confusion, the true Naruto was lost.

(A/N) R&R please and please ignore the OOC, the seriousness was such a main part of this chapter, and will remain so through the story, hope you enjoyed this first chapter. TTFTHW

Ta-ta from the Halfa Wannabe


	2. Chapter 2

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**2 months after Naruto's disappearance**

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Tsunade looked down at the papers in front of her. Paperwork. She hated paperwork, but this was different.

Once she signed this, she would hate herself.

"Naruto..."

She pressed her pen to the page and signed her name.

It was something that hurt her more than she could have imagined.

She'd just declared Naruto, the one she considered a little brother, an S-class missing nin.

'I'm sorry Naruto. I know you wouldn't harm anyone, but the council won't hear it. The way you left, the power you have. They won't let you be. And I just signed the papers that could mean your death.'

She grabbed the bottle of Sake to her left and drank long and deep until there was a knock on the door.

Tsunade sighed knowing full well who this would be. "Come in Sakura."

The pink haired girl opened the door lightly and moved in through the relatively small space she had created. "Umm, Tsunade?"

She shook her head. "No, we haven't found Naruto yet, and I'm discontinuing the search parties."

Sakura's eyebrows flew up in shock. "WHAT? You can't do that! We have to get him back!"

Tsunade shook her head again. "No we don't. He left without orders, even if it was perfectly justifiable under the circumstances. As Hokage, I've been left no choice but to declare him an S-class missing nin. If we bring him back now. It will be under the charge of treason. All we can do is hope we never find him."

Sakura's blood boiled in rage. "You gave him a death sentence, and you dare to say that?" Sakura looked at Tsunade with her hands clenched tight enough to draw a drop of blood. "I'll be going now." Sakura made her way out of the office before slamming her fist against a wall leaving sizable cracks that were apparent even on the othe side. "Naruto, I'm sorry."

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**19 days later with Naruto**

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He sat quietly on top of the small house where he was staying. His eyes turned toward the sun and his arm covered by gauze and his sleeve, not to mention the glove that hid his hand.

He looked over at the pile of wood stacked next to the building and the axe waiting to be used. He dropped down to the ground and started moving wood next to it before removing it from the wood prison that held it. He started chopping.

_What do I do? I can't go back. But I can't just stop._ "DAMMIT!" He threw the axe across the clearing not noticing how far it embedded itself in a tree. "WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?! ANSWER ME! MY LIFE'S GONE, TELL ME WHAT TO DO?" He slumped to his knees. "Somebody, tell me."

"Die."

Naruto's eyes widened in shock. He automatically jumped to the side as the kunai that had been aimed at his head cut through his sleeve and into his flesh. He turned to see the familiar mask of an ANBU member and the unmistakable curves of a woman. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Simple. I'm doing my duty as a Shinobi of Konoha." She rushed forward and went to kick him in the chest. Naruto managed to jump backwards and avoid the blow. Unforunately, he didn't see the kunai that had been launched by the kick in time to dodge. It ripped through flesh and muscle as it lodged itself in his shoulder.

He grunted in pain. "What the hell are you talking about?" He watched her carefully as she unslung a sword from her back.

"Simple. You're a missing nin. And since I found you. I have to kill you." She ran forward again and punched Naruto in the face sending him flying backwards. A puff of smoke appeared revealing it to be wood. The ANBU swung around holding her sword outstretched and cut across Naruto's stomach before he could react.

"They declared me a missing nin? No, you're lying." He jumped backwards and started making handsigns until several shadow clones appeared. They charged forward, one went to kick her in the stomach while another flipped over her kicking her in the head and a third went after the sword. The ANBU easily cut through the first Naruto and it vanished before the kick could connect. The second one bounced off her head as his boot connected with her face, and the third grabbed her sword. As he ran off he put his hand to the hilt and stopped while turning. The woman already had a second sword in her hand. "Where the heck did that come from?" That's when he saw the ninja scroll sticking out of her pocket and he remembered TenTen "Ahh crud." He held the sword awkwardly as she ran at him. Her sword sliced down and Naruto brought his up to fend off the blow. The metal clanged and Naruto flew back as she kicked him in the stomach. Thanks to his incredible stamina and phenomenol healing rate, he fared better than the tree he hit. A scroll rolled to his side opening while it did so. It was him, a picture of him and the order signed by the Hokage herself. "No." His eyes stayed on the scroll as the grass was crushed on her journey towards him, her blade gleaming as the sunlight bounced off it, and her hidden eyes gleaming with bloodlust toward the demon that had killed her father so many years ago.

She pressed the blade against his neck as his mind struggled to take in what should never have been. "Any last words?"

Naruto looked up at her.

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He felt like he was falling. Only his body didn't come to a stop. It kept moving until he stopped in front of a barred cage.

The Kyuubi looked at him from behind them.

_**"Child, you cannot let her destroy you."**_

Naruto looked sadly at the demon. "And why not."

_**"You are young, your time is not yet over. You must live."**_

"I don't have anything to live for!"

_**"Then you must find something. I will not allow you to destroy us. Become stronger. Become faster. It's all within your grasp. All you have to do is live."**_

"I'M A MISSING NIN! Any ninja who sees me is honor-bound to kill me."

_**"Then be Ninja no more. Be different. And to ensure your success, I shall give you a gift. Your blood holds more power than you know boy, if you chose the right mate, then in several generations the children of your clan would have become powerful in their own right. I shall activate that potential. Now go. Fight. And live."**_

From the cage hidden within him a surge of energy went through his blood and the gift was bestowed.

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Naruto looked up at her.

And his eyes glowed.


	3. Chapter 3

Naruto's eyes flashed for a second. A red wave of light shot from the middle of his eye to the edge and was gone again. 

A wave of low-power chakra exploded out of him, invisible and undamaging, it went unnoticed and he knew what to do.

He looked at her.

"Yeah, I got last words."

"YOU FORGOT ME!" The Shadow-clone surged up behind her and buried a kunai into her left shoulder. Naruto took the kunai that was still embedded in his shoulder and pulled it out. He dove it deep into her left leg as she turned toward the shadow clone. He pushed until it hit bone.

Her sword flashed cutting through the clone and heading back for Naruto.

He pulled his right arm up and formed a Rasengan in his hand. He shoved into her left side just under her lung.

She screamed and collapsed.

He got up and put his sword to her throat. His eyes showed a feral hunger in them and he sneered at her. "Remember this, I _let_ you live. And you make sure to tell the Hokage, that any ninja that comes after me, _won't_ be coming back."

"Wha...?"

He pulled his leg back and kicked her in the head rendering her unconscious.

He walked away from the fight and into the woods.

It would be years before Naruto Uzumaki was heard from again.

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Konohagakure, 2 weeks later.

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"We have an emergency! ANBU team just pulled her in, she's hurt bad! Get the Hokage!"

Several Medic Nins kept the woman alive and breathing while a messenger went and retrieved Tsunade from a bar. Luckily, she hadn't had the time to get drunk yet.

She walked into the hospital and looked over at a nurse. "Where?"

The nurse, who'd been working when the case was brought in, quickly led her to the room where her patient resided.

Tsunade took one look at the oozing wound in her side and she knew what had caused it.

She ignored it as she went to work and started healing the injuries.

After several hours of work she walked out and sat down next to another Medical Ninja who had depleted herself keeping the woman alive.

"Tsunade? Is she going to be okay?"

"Yes Sakura. She'll live. But Naruto did a number on her."

Sakura's head whipped toward Tsunade. "What do you mean Naruto?"

Tsunade looked at her with sad eyes. "That wound in her side was made by a Rasengan. Worse yet, it's right on top of an old injury so he opened that up again too, and to make it even worse. The power was transferred thoughout her entire body via her bone system. There were cracks all the way through it. If it hadn't started healing yet I could have fixed it up, now though... she's not going to be fighting again. Ever."

"But Naruto wouldn't do something like that! He's a good guy!"

Tsunade looked at her apprentice and saw that the more she defended Naruto, the more she was seeing of him. The more she remembered, the more she started to fall for him.

"He is, but she found him while on a mission and tried to kill him. He defended himself the only way he knows how, he fought back."

Sakura stared at Tsunade for a moment. "I'm leaving. I'm going to go find him." She got up to walk away.

The Hokage snatched her arm before she could leave. "No, you're not."

"Let go of me you old hag! I'm going after him."

Tsunade ignored the insult, but slapped Sakura lightly. Sakura rocketed into the wall next to her. "Sakura! You'll listen to me now! The woman in there woke up for a bit while I was fixing her up. She delivered a message to me. Naruto's last words to her were that if any ninja from Konoha came looking for him, they wouldn't be coming back!" Tsunade looked at the girl who had tears in her eyes. "And I think that goes for every ninja in the village, even you."

(A/N)

First person to guess the power in his blood get's an honorable mention. And as far as I know, it's not anything that's shown up in the series. (though from my point of view it could be related to Sharingan and Byakuugan)


	4. Chapter 4

12 years later. 

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His eyes stared coldly at the village in front of him. Naruto Uzumaki shook his head slowly and tightened the strings of the high collar he'd added to his vest. With the whisker marks now hidden he started walking down the hill and into Konohagakure.

Not even those who knew him best would have been able to identify him. Due to power from the Kyuubi, his hair had changed into a rich red, and his body had grown. Small but powerful muscles covered his body, and his clothing choices had changed radically.

His right arm was covered from the glove he wore to the top of his shoulder in leather wrappings. His shoulders were supporting metal plates that held spikes sticking up through them. His left arm had two pieces of armor strapped on the outside. One on his upper arm, one on his lower. His pants were black with red trimmings and his chest only bore a simple black vest showing off his well-developed chest and a six-pack.

A sword was strapped to his belt in a way that it was almost perpendicular to his back, it only tilted slightly. It was the most noticable thing about him. From the looks of the sheath you could see that it held a straight sword. the hilt seen without handle or blade would have looked like a golden H. But the sheath was as unique as the sword. The outside of it had been embroidered with a golden fox, it's tail wound around the sheath like it was holding it.

He walked towards the gate and saw two ANBU in masks standing there chatting. As he walked through the gate one of the ANBU looked at him and spotted the sword before moving to block his path.

"And where do you think you're going?"

He looked at the man dully. "To get something to eat. Gotta keep my strength up."

"Not with that sword your not. Only people allowed to go armed within the village are Shinobis of Konoha."

Naruto looked over the ANBU member. It was obvious he would be strong, but would he be a challenge. "Your point is?"

"Give me your sword, you can pick it up at the Hokage's office before you leave town." The man held out his hand as if expecting the sword.

Naruto's smile was hidden by his collar. "You're not worth the effort. Name's Uzu, I'm a mercenary."

"Like that means anything to us. Give up the sword."

Naruto's smile widened. "Come and get it."

The two male ANBU rushed him together.

He raised his leg letting one of them run into face first into his boot, he brought his leg down smashing the man's head into the ground. He dropped into a crouch and swept the legs out from underneath the other. His boots skidded across the concrete as he spun himself into a standing position.

One of the ANBU looked at him with amazement while the other had fainted in fear.

"Don't start something you can't finish." He jumped away as he spotted a fist coming at him from the side. He brought his right hand up and caught it, he found himself staring into emerald eyes.

"Almost didn't see you. You're good." He smirked.

The pink-haired Kunoichi stared at him and winced at the pain in her arm.

Naruto looked at Sakura. She'd changed.

While her outfit had remained mostly the same. The red dress now had a V-neck that showed an ample amount of cleavage. She had definitely developed.

"Damn right I am." Her leg shot up and plowed into his side sending him hurtling into a wall.

"Ow. Note to self, don't get hit." He stood back up. "While it would be a pleasure to destroy you. I'm just here for provisions." He stood next to the wall for a second before jumping and putting his feet to the wall, with a blast of chakra he took off across the roofs of Konoha.

She stared. _Who was that hottie?_ She blushed when she realized where her thoughts had taken her and took off for the Hokage tower.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Hokage's Tower, 20 minutes later.  
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Sakura ran into the building and made straight for Tsunade's office. The Hokage had been keeping close tabs on visitors to the village since an attack several years before. Sakura pushed the door open startling Tsunade, and surprisingly, Jiraiya.

Sakura stopped for a second. She hadn't seen him in almost 8 years. She shook her head. "Tsunade, there's been an attack."

Tsunade instantly turned her full attention to the kunoichi. "What happened?"

Sakura explained how the two ANBU had been taken out by a man carrying a sword. "He wasn't normal. He managed to grab my arm and held my fist back. Nobody's been able to do that for years."

Tsunade looked at her curiously and went to look at her arm, which already had a dark bruise forming. "Definitely chakra enhanced, minor burns. He's good." She sat down at her desk and pressed a button. "Shizune, summon the leaders of the ANBU squads, get the Jounin in here. We have a possible breach."

Tsunade settled back in her chair and pressed her fingers together.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Ichiraku Ramen Stand.  
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Naruto had secluded himself in one of the darker corners and continued to down bowl after bowl of ramen.

The man behind the counter watched in horror as ingredients from the kitchen quickly dwindled. _That guy must be starving._

A quick belch later he walked up to the man and pulled out a wallet holding several hundred bills, he quickly payed his tab and left. "Ahh, haven't ate that good in months." He stretched out his arms and started walking in the general direction of the shopping district.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Tsunade's office.  
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"Here's the situation, we have a possible sound nin. He came in through the north gate, took out two ANBU and out muscled Sakura.

Neji Hyuuga whistled. From many sparring sessions he himself knew the devestating power that Sakura had developed over the course of her training with Tsunade. _Anybody who can overpower her is definitely a problem._

Taijutsu specialist and Jounin Rock Lee had his own thoughts on the matter. _This man is strong, I must test myself against this glorious youth!_

The others just listened.

"You need to find him and assess his intentions. If you deem it necessary, take him out. Dismissed." The ANBU and Jounins sprinted out of the room and started their search.


	5. Chapter 5

There are 3 A/Ns at the end of the chapter. 2 dealing with Naruto's eyes, and a technique he uses in this chapter.

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Naruto walked into the shopping center and walked straight towards a store. He grabbed a black duffel bag and dropped the money on the counter walking out before the clerk had even noticed him.

Several minutes later the bag was full to bursting with supplies. He walked out of the shopping district and turned onto a nearly deserted street. His steps quickened as he walked away from the stores and hurried down the street.

He halted his progress as he felt someone watching him. He closed his eyes and extended his senses. He felt the raw physical power and knew who it was instantly.

"Come on out. You need to work on stealth."

Rock Lee dropped from a roof and stood facing him. "Glorious stranger, I have heard of your exploits this day, be you friend or foe?"

Naruto looked at him. _Dear God, he's even stranger than when I left._ "Neither. I just needed supplies. I'd appreciate you letting me be on my way."

"The Hokage's orders requires me to find out your intentions. I have now done so. I have heard of your feats and wish to test myself against you!" A hopeful look appeared in Lee's eyes.

"No. I fight for money, or to protect myself. I have no reason." Naruto started to walk past Rock Lee.

"Then if I pay you?"

Naruto paused in his passing and smiled. "You wanna fight me that much?"

"Yes! I must test my power against that of the glorious youth! Will you fight me?"

"You're a Taijutsu specialist right?" Lee nodded. "Then we fight only with our hands."

Rock Lee stared at him. "I want you to fight as yourself! I must test myself against your steel, swordsman!"

Naruto twisted his head violentally towards Rock Lee. "No. You want to test yourself. You want to know if you can beat me. I like that, but the second this sword is unsheathed, it's a fight to the death. So no, I won't fight you with my sword. Now how much are you paying?"

Rock Lee smiled and took out a wallet in the shape of his Sensei's head and opened up the mouth. He quickly took out his money and handed it to Naruto. "Here, all I have on me."

Naruto looked at the money and nodded. He grabbed it and shoved it in his pocket before cracking his knuckles. "Let's go, Taijutsu Specialist Rock Lee!" Naruto burst forward with speed that rivaled Lee's. He punched at where his opponent had been only to find Lee had dodged out of the way and flown into a spiral kick slamming it into Naruto's back.

The kick would have paralyzed a normal man. Naruto twirled as he went flying and grabbed Lee's leg. The movement swung him back at the source of his pain and allowed him to transfer the same power Rock Lee had thrown at him into a devastating kick which connected with Lee's head.

Lee went flying backwards dragging Naruto along with him. Just as Lee landed Naruto let go of his leg and dropped to the floor paved surface below him. Lee skidded across the street and stayed still. _Damn, I beat Lee! Didn't think I was that good._

Rock Lee's prone form exploded into the air and fell towards Naruto in a hurricane of punches and kicks. Naruto blocked with arms and legs, but more attacks hit him than not. Naruto was struggling to keep his defense up when he saw an opening and pushed himself into an attack that threw Lee into the air. He panted and rocketed into the air. He spun head over heels in a series of flying front flips building up speed. He stretched his leg out as he spun. "STONE FOX KICK!" The back of Naruto's boots connected sending his opponent back into the ground. Lee flpped before he landed leaving a crater underneath his feet as he dodged backwards to escape Naruto's next attack.

Naruto landed lightly, but breathed heavily. "You're good."

Rock Lee looked at him and smiled. "So are you."

Naruto looked at him. _Says the guy with god only know how many pounds strapped to him. I've already lost this, but he paid for a fight, and I still have one trick left up my sleeve._

He let his breath out and slowly took another. He breathed in again, and again. He forced as much oxygen into his body as he could. He focused on his breath and felt the energy well up into his muscles.

He practically exploded forwards with every ounce of raw physical force his body could muster.

Lee moved just as quickly. The two charges met in the middle. Naruto's sudden surge of power had distracted Lee enough that his punch landed directly into Lee's chest. Lee started to slide and his leg came up catching Naruto under the chin. Both dropped to the street panting. Lee slowly sat up. "That, was truly the power of exploding youth! You are a mighty opponent, an incredible fighter. I would call you friend!?" Here he looked at his opponent and was shocked to see him slowly sitting up.

"Ahh so the battle is not done!"

Naruto looked up at him. "Oh yes it is." He coughed and spit out some blood. "I wouldn't be moving now if I weren't using my chakra to power my muscles. I'm gonna be feeling this for weeks." He looked at Lee, sitting there across from him. It started with a small chuckle, and burst into a hardy laugh. 'That was awesome, I have't had to go all out like that in a couple of years. I forgot how great if feels." Naruto continued to laugh before looking around and noticing they were on a different but equaly deserted street than where the fight had started. "If it weren't for those weights I'd be dead."

Rock Lee looked at him surprised. "You know of my weights, how?"

Naruto looked at him. _No! I didn't say that!_ Naruto mentally kicked himself as he struggled for an excuse. "Uh, I don't care how much force I put into it. Without a lot of weight, you wouldn't have made THAT kind of impression." He threw his head toward the crater in the street. Lee stood up and helped Naruto to his feet. "Come my youthful companion, we must go and collect your belongings."

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20 Minutes later.

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Naruto looked up and down the street for his new bag and it's contents. They were gone. "Son of a bitch!"

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(A/N) For those of you wondering what Naruto did. He used a technique he's learned since leaving the village hidden in the leaves. It consists of throwing all of your bodies physical resources into one attack. While the ability is incredibly powerful, due to the strain on the system it results in extreme exhaustion if not death. It is only due to Naruto's incredible stamina due to the Kyuubi that allows him to even be awake after this move.

(A/N2) Nobody was able to come up with the correct answer for Naruto's eyes. It is Kaiseki, an ability that allows him to analyze his opponents body structure through a low-power pulse of chakra. It's kind of like radar. It bounces back and allows him to see areas of the body that are vulnerable due to recent injuries, injuries that never healed fully, or extreme injuries that weakened the area... or areas that are just weak naturally. The reason he did not use Kaiseki in his battle with Lee is two-fold, Lee was a (kinda) friend. And the battle was physical techniques only.

(A/N3) Because of questions I've recieved concerning this I state it now. This bloodline trait is not something the Kyuubi gifted him with. It was starting to develop due to Naruto's different ancestors bloods coming together. In a few generations it would have surfaced on it's own. Kyuubi simply completed what was already in his blood.


	6. Chapter 6

I must admit, I am somewhat dissapointed by the reviews for this last chapter, BUT THE FIRES OF YOUTH TELL ME TO PERSEVERE!

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Naruto's jaw tightened and his eyes closed. "All of my stuff. All of the stuff, that I JUST paid for."

A hand gently fell on his shoulder. "My friend, I must take the blame for this. Had I not distracted you with our fight, your belongings would surely still be here. Please allow me to make ammends by replacing your possessions."

"Are you the one who accepted the battle in return for payment?" Naruto asked with no emotion in his voice.

"Well, no, but my request is the origin of this." Rock Lee stared at him.

"Then forget it. It was my mistake. You won't be paying for it." Naruto pulled out his wallet and looked at the empty interior before placing the money Lee had given him in it. "But if you happen to know a place that's looking for help, I do need to build up my cash reserves."

Lee thought for a moment. "Yes! I know how to handle this, please, follow me, I will make the necessary arrangements. You just need a place to rest. Come Mr...?" Lee turned around with a questioning look in his eye. "Heh, it has just comes to my attention that I know not your name. Please forgive my rudeness."

"Name's Uzu. Let's go."

Lee nodded before starting to lead Naruto through the streets of Konoha. It wasn't long before the two stood in front of a rather nice looking house. Lee jumped over the gates and Naruto followed him over.

Lee opened the door and walked in.

"HONEY!" A mass of flesh and pink was on Lee within seconds. Uzu watched the rather unexpected scene.

Her lips mashed against his as he reciprocated. Naruto felt a hand tug on his vest and looked down at the little girl pulling at him.

"Hi, are you a friend of Daddy's?" The little girl was obviously Lee's. Except for his eyebrows, there was a distinct family resemblence.

_Damn, Lee's got a kid. I have been gone a long time._ "I suppose you could say that. What's your name?"

"Her name is Mai. Excuse my actions. I was so happy to see my husband I didn't notice you. My name is TenTen." She bowed.

_Holy Shit! She doesn't look anything like she used to, Damn._ Indeed, the lithe and athletic body of her youth had given way to a more womanly figure that the pink kimono she wore was unable to fully hide. "Uh, nice to meet you as well. I'm Uzu. You're husband here is blaming himself for the loss of some of my stuff, he wanted to pay for it, but, instead, he's got an idea on how I can make some money."

Lee nodded. "We sparred and in the battle his possessions were stolen. Come Uzu, let me formally introduce you. This is my daughter Mai, the daughter who was born of TenTen's and my passionate flames of youth!"

TenTen rose up next to her husband and placed a well aimed punch onto the top of his head knocking him to the floor. A vein pulsed irritably on her forehead. "Lee, what have I told you about the flames of youth?"

"Not in the house or around Mai." Rock Lee looked like he'd had better days.

"Good boy."

Mai was on her back laughing. "Mommy and Daddy are funny."

Though he hid his chuckle. Naruto silently agreed. Naruto cleared his throat. "Excuse me, but, If we may continue our business?"

Lee looked up from where he'd went from great warrior to hen-pecked husband and doting father back to Naruto. "Oh of course, I have an idea, if you wouldn't mind staying here for a bit. I will be off to see what I can do." Lee ran out of the house and took off across the skyline before Naruto could say anything.

"Well, your husband certainly is, interesting." He turned to find TenTen with a kunai stealthily hidden in her hand.

"I know who you are, and if you think you're going to hurt my family, think again!"


	7. Chapter 7

Naruto looked at her. "Really? Good to know. You got any coffee? I'd like a drink." He walked over to a couch and sat down. "Oh, and by the way, who do you think I am?" 

TenTen stared at the man sitting who'd sat on her couch after she'd threatened him. "Uh?"

He laughed. "Well come on. Just spit it out."

She glared at him. "Anyone who's got an interest in weapons can tell. A straight sword hanging like that, golden hilt, a sheath embroidered with a fox. It has to be KenKitsune, the mourning sword, and that makes you The Eastern Blade. Relentless murderer of hundreds of Shinobi."

She spat out the murderer with such intensity he almost flinched. Instead he clapped. "Very observent. But you missed a few key points. One, you've seen the hilt, and while it does match the descriptions, I've run across at least a dozen in the last year with similar hilts. Two, Shinobi themselves can, and have, been hired out as assassins. Three, I'm a mercenary. So yes, I admit, you're right. I'm Uzu, better known as The Eastern Blade. I also am currently unattached. So unless someone attacks me, this sword isn't coming out. So how about you drop that Kunai and we can sit here and talk like civilized adults. Besides, I think you're scaring your daughter."

"Mo-mommy?" Tenten looked behind her. The tear soaked face and gentle pressure of her child's hands holding onto her leg snapped the last of her killer intent bled away.

"So, you're not going to, hurt us?" She relaxed a little.

"Not unless you try to hurt me. Or pay me to hurt you." He shrugged. "It's the life of a mercenary, gotta make money somehow."

Tenten nodded, and sat down across from him, her kunai in her hand and ready to strike. "And you really are The Eastern Blade?"

He nodded. "But please call me Uzu. You're husband has decided to call me friend, and I have far too few of those."

Tenten looked deeply into his blue eyes and felt safe. "Okay, I trust you. But, if you fought with Lee earlier, why is he still alive? I know he's good, but you're supposed to be the best swordsman in the country."

Naruto nodded. "Quite the paradox, huh? The fact is, you're husband wanted to test himself, and I only pull my blade when it's life or death."

Tenten nodded. "Yeah, he does get kind of obsessed with training."

Naruto's smile was hidden by his collar. "So how about that coffee?"

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The Hokage Tower.

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The intercom came on in Tsunade's office. "Lady Hokage? Jounin Rock Lee is here to see you."

Tsunade pushed the paperwork away. "Send him in."

Lee walked in. He was instantly all business. "Hokage, I spoke to the intruder and he is not a Sound Nin. His only reason for being here was to resupply. From what I was able to gather he was a mercenary. I engaged his services for a friendly duel. His hand-to-hand is amazing and if he had pulled his sword, I would not have been able to defeat him without removing my weights. Also, it appears he has a move that releases his power in much the same way as the initial and primary lotus."

Tsunade looked at him for a second. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN A FRIENDLY DUEL! HE COULD HAVE KILLED YOU!"

"Yes Hokage. He could have, but he refused to pull his sword. After our little skirmish we went back to gather his items of purchase only to discover that he'd been robbed."

"And now he wants to be reimbursed?" Tsunade looked up at the ceiling. "Great, more paperwork."

"Actually, I offered to replace his purchases and he refused, but he did ask me if I knew of a job here in town. I left him at my house and went to see about procuring him employment."

Tsunade looked at him. "So in fact, you're trying to get him to stay in Konoha? Very interesting, and did you find him some work?" It wasn't until here she noticed the strange look Rock Lee was giving her. "Oh no, you're not thinking what I think you're thinking are you?" She looked at him again. "You are."

Lee smiled.

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Lee's Home

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"So is that how it is? My, I never thought a mercenary would be so honorable."

"Neither did I. I just kinda fell into it when I needed some money. And so I've been doing it ever since." Naruto waited for her to look over her daughter before lowering his collar and taking a drink of his coffee. It was back up before she turned around. It was then that they heard the commotion upstairs as Lee bounded down the steps.

"LEE! Come in the front door like a normal human!"

Lee leaned down and kissed her. "Ahh but my sweet, I can get my new friend a job, all they wish to do is administer a little test."

Naruto's eyebrows raised. _Why do I have a bad feeling about this?_


	8. Chapter 8

Damn, 3 posts in one day, hope you enjoy the quick draining of my creative energies... guess i'll just have to suck some away from you.

(puts straw to screen and sucks)

(computer electrocutes him)

(is blackened and smoking)

ow

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Naruto ducked the punch and dove out of the way curling into a ball and springing back up into a battle position. He charged forward and punched at Sakura while avoiding a blow. She stepped to the side.

_I KNEW I WOULDN'T LIKE THIS!_

He went to sweep her feet out from under her with his leg, she jumped over it and brought a kick at his back. He twisted his body throwing himself upwards to dodge the kick. He snapped his leg at her head she caught it while he grabbed her leg making her lose her balance. The two collapsed on each other then rolled away and into stances.

The both breathed heavily.

Naruto looked at her. "You're good."

Sakura smiled and repeated what she'd said the first time they'd met. "Damn right."

Naruto's eyes widened as he threw himself away from where he was as a tag exploded. _SHIT, when'd she do that?_ He ducked and rolled, he wasn't able to avoid the second tag that was hidden in the dust.

**BOOM**

As the smoke cleared she noticed his dark vest against the background. She threw a kunai at him only to have the vest yanked off the sword sheath and back onto him. He charged out of the smoke clothed once more. He held the sheath in one hand while he prepared to pull the sword out.

He tightened his hand on the hilt and kicked her instead. She slid back across the dirt.

Their audience watched silently.

For the most part.

"You can do it! Let the flames of youth burn brightly!"

Sakura charged forward again for a massive punch that he couldn't avoid, and would most certainly end the match. He had to do something drastic. He pulled up his blade and sheath and forced it between the punch and himself. The sheath and sword gave way as it slowly started to bend.

Then he kicked her in the leg. Distracted, she let the power of her punch drop.

He ran as fast as he could toward the other end of the stadium. He flipped and let his feet land against the wall. He built up his chakra as tightly as he could in his legs as the force of his flip and jump started to press into the wall.

He exploded outwards at such force he nearly flew.

He let his feet hit the ground and forced himself into a slide as he pulled her feet out from under her.

She let chakra build in her arms placed it against the ground. He was still holding on when she flipped into the air. He forced his body to twist causing the two flying and falling combatants into a series of stunts that would have made even an olymic athlete jealous.

All the time while in the unusual battle of air, Sakura continued to thrust punches at him while he used his legs to attack her.

Her fist and his foot collided in mid-air wrenching them apart and sending them flying in different directions. The two let themselves take a break while they studied the other.

_Dear God, she's stronger than ever. Maybe I need to start training without the sword._

_What is he? He's like a demon. I can't get a good hit in, and if by some chance I do, he pulls off some psycho stunt to get out of it. If he were using that sword I'd be dead._

The two charged forward again.

"STOP!"

The two managed to end their attacks before either did any serious damage.

Tsunade looked down at him and shook her head. "I hate to admit it kid, but Lee was right. You're incredible even without the sword. Jounin Rock Lee's proposal is accepted. The Village Hidden in the Leaf offers a six month contract. During this time You will carry yourself with dignity, you may be assigned ninja missions, and in case of an attack by a rival village, you will defend Konoha with your very life if need be. Do you accept these conditions."

Naruto nodded. "But what are we going to do about a place to stay?"

Tsunade smirked. "I think we can figure out something. Follow me, We need to fill out some forms." A dark gloom seemed to settle over the Hokage and Naruto followed her.

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Sakura Haruno's Apartment, 2 hours later.

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Sakura grudgingly got off the couch where she'd allowed herself to collapse after the grueling battle. She trudged to the door where whatever idiot wanted her attention was leaning on the buzzer. When she opened the door, she found her new most hated person on her doorstep.

"Hiya Roomie! Where do I sleep?" Naruto smirked under the collar.

The horror on her face just added to his enjoyment.


	9. Chapter 9

A large vein in Sakura's forehead pulsed as she stared at the Hokage. "Tsunade! You can't be serious! You want that, that, guy, to live with me, you have no right!" 

Tsunade noted the small blush on Sakura's face. One that she was sure even Sakura didn't notice. "He needs a place to live, and I need someone to keep an eye on him. Seems like a good match to me." She went back to shifting through the piles of paperwork.

"But, you're forcing me to live with him! He's probably in my house sniffing my panties right now!"

Tsunade looked skeptical. "Please, aren't you being a bit melodramatic. I mean, come on, just cause he's a guy doesn't mean he's a pervert."

_AIYAH I just want to punch her face in_. "But it isn't right. We're talking a total invasion of my privacy. Let Lee take him, he seems to be plenty buddy-buddy with him."

"Exactly. You and Lee are the only two in the village who I could trust to be able to take him out. I may not look like it, but I'm getting older, slower. I couldn't handle it. Lee's a good man and an excellent Shinobi, but he counts this man as his friend. I need someone who will have no problem taking him out if he goes against us."

"Do you expect him to?" Sakura looked deep into Tsunade's eyes as the Hokage shook her head. "Then why?"

"Because I may be wrong, and my first duty to this village is to protect it. As Hokage I am assigning this mission to you. You are to keep track of him at all times. If I send him to do something, you go with him. If you're needed in the hospital, he'll be there with you. That's the way it's going to work for the next six months. Now, if there's nothing else, go!"

Sakura stalked out of the office and back towards her home.

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Sakura's Apartment.

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She opened the door and peeked inside. The darkness of the room shocked her. She slowly scanned the corners for any sign of her unwanted guess. It was then her ears picked up the distinct sound of water hitting vinyl. She moved towards the bathroom and opened the door.

Her eyes scanned the room and found his clothing piled in one corner. He stood in the shower with his back to her. She could see only half of him thanks to the pink curtain that obscured her view of his right side. What she did see caused her to blush as her eyes traveled down his well cut physique and saw the lines of what looked to be a massive tattoo on the center of his back.

She licked her lips. _Whoah, maybe Tsunade did me a favor._

"So do you like what you see, or do you make it a habit of standing in the doorway of the bathroom?"

Sakura turned a red so bright that it complimented her hair nicely. "Uhhh"

He reached over and turned off the shower. "If you're gonna stand there you could at least throw me a towel."

She blinked heavily and grabbed the towel from the cabinet next to her, threw it at the shower and slammed the door. She quickly retreated to the kitchen and started fixing herself a TV dinner.

He emerged from the bathroom fully dressed with his sword back in it's customary place. Sakura thought about that. _I didn't see that in the bathroom, where was it?_ She shook her head.

"I see you've made yourself at home."

He nodded. "And I'm just as sure you'd prefer I didn't go around smelling like stale sweat and sitting on your furniture."

She looked up at that. "So the only reason you took a shower was so you didn't offend me?"

He snorted. "Yeah right. Despite what you seem to think, I do have a sense of hygiene. Keeping you from screaming about it is just a bonus." He looked at her dinner and snorted before going over to the fridge and pulling some ham from the day before some carrots and pulled a few potatoes from a bag in the corner. He took a second of looking in cabinets and drawers to pull out all the things he needed. The microwave started to beep while he filled a pot with water and started chopping vegetables.

She stared in wonder at the fact he was actually preparing a meal, and from leftovers of all things. "Well what do you know, he knows his way around a kitchen."

"When you're on your own in the woods you learn. It's just soup, but it's a damned sight better than what you're making."

The two continued with banter for awhile longer until Sakura went into the small living room and flipped on the TV.

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ten minutes later

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He dropped himself down onto a chair off to the side and stared at her. The bowl of soup in his hands steamed and gave off a curious though pleasant aroma. Sakura's mouth watered as she watched him slowly sip at the soup he'd made.

She didn't notice hi eyeing her.

"If you want a bowl there's plenty. All you gotta do is go and grab some."

She sneered. "You think I don't know that! Hell, it was made from my food."

He shook his head. "Geez you're defensive. Just trying to be nice. I'm gonna be here for awhile." He thought for a bit. "In fact, now that I think about it, I think it's time for a change in the wardrobe. And it might as well be here. Tomorrow we're going shopping."

Sakura stared at her brazen roommate. "And what makes you think I'm going anywhere with you?"

He got up and went to deposit his bowl next to the sink. "Simple, the Hokage told you to."

He walked out and turned towards the guest bedroom.

Sakura gritted her teeth. _He is so asking to die._

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The next morning.

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He turned around to the girl who stared at the number of items he'd bought. Most of it was grocery related. Like he was planning a feast though there were a couple of small clothing purchases. He turned and headed into a far different store.

He went straight to the counter. "Hey, you do customs?"

The man looked him over with an appraising eye. "Yeah, what do you need?"

"Armor, it needs to fit over my head and shoulders. It needs to have a section that comes up around here." He indicated an area just under his nose and just above his collar. "Shoulder pads like what i'm wearing and that's it. Think you can do it?"

"Don't see why not, but it won't be much armor if you do that."

"It's what I need."

The man nodded. "Okay then. It'll be done in a week. Does that work?"

Naruto shook his head. "Longer than I'd like, but I guess that's the way the world works. That'll be fine."

Naruto walked out of the store and stared at Sakura who was holding a bag of groceries. "Well, let's go drop this stuff off. I'm sure you've got things to do."

With that he walked off in the direction of her apartment with Sakura hurrying behind.


	10. Chapter 10

He walked behind Sakura as she made her way to the hospital and checked in. He continued to follow her while she made her rounds. She checked on several patients of hers. "You're not to speak to, talk with, look at, or interact with any patients in any way. Do you understand?" 

"Yep, sure do." His tone pissed her off more.

"I'm serious. Some of these people have a lot of baggage. So keep your mouth shut if you can't say anything constructive."

He turned his head toward her and glared. His eyes became cold enough they could have frozen water. "You listen to me right now. You had best shut your mouth. I've had more baggage in days than you could deal with in a lifetime. I know how to talk to people, and you'd best remember that girl."

Sakura stared. _He's a completely different person than he was a minute ago He's serious even if he is annoying and even kind of likeable, but now, he's cold, and vicious._ She felt a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was only when he turned away and started to head toward the door that she reacted.

"I-I'm sorry. I'm just trying to look out for them, they've had it rough."

He turned toward her with a distinct slump to his shoulders. "A lot of people have it tough. They deal. You can't walk on eggshells when you're around people like that. If you do, then they almost never learn to deal with it."

"How can you know so much about these people that you've never met?" Sakura looked into his eyes and saw a flash of pain cross them.

"Humans are humans, there's pain, there's baggage. It doesn't matter where you come from, or what you do. It's there. And you have to learn to live with it. It's just part of being alive. Now let's go. Your apology is accepted." He moved behind her. "Go."

She started walking and found her way around her patients and checked various machines that were keeping tabs of their most private possession, the rythm of their lives. Naruto had never been smart, but he'd always been smart enough to understand his limitations, and now he knew he could never be a medic.

So he followed and followed until she ended her rounds and the two left the hospital together.

XXX Sakura's place XXX

She watched him start preparing a meal and wondered how he knew what to do. It took a lot more preparation than a simple soup you'd learn to make in the wilderness. "So, did your mom teach you how to cook?"

The seemingly innocent question sent a knife falling to the counter as well as some blood. Sakura immediately went into medic mode but Naruto pulled away from her. "It'll be fine, and no, she didn't. I never knew my parents." He pulled a rag from a nearby drawer and wrapped it around his hand and picked the knife back up. He was back to cooking.

Sakura looked down. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to"

Naruto interrupted her. "You didn't know, it's okay." He twirled the knife around his fingers while running vegetables through the improvised food processor.

"Still, so, where did you learn to cook?" Naruto stared at the blade between his fingers. "From the man who taught me to use a sword. He was a stickler for what he called, 'real food' Soon, I was helping him and then cooking for myself. He died before he finished teaching me. After that, I just traveled around. I took some jobs as a cook. Then one day, a man tried to rob where I was working. I grabbed a knife and threw it through his head from the kitchen. A man who was there at the time offered me a job as a bodyguard. Eventually I became a mercenary, got myself a real sword, and from then on I started to make myself a name. The rest as they say is history."

"Geez, I can't believe you went from cook to mercenary, that's kind of weird."

"Maybe, but I'd been in battle before. And I will be again. It's what I'm good at." He pushed the vegetables into a pot to create a stew and dropped to the stove to look at the roast he'd started.

Sakura looked at him, her heart told her to reach out and put her hand on his shoulder. She listened to her mind instead. "Well, I'm sure you'll settle down one day and find yourself a nice girl to marry, and she will **definitely** appreciate the fact you can cook."

Naruto looked up at her. "Someone probably would, but, marriage isn't really an option for me." He stopped her before she could ask. "Look, my past isn't something I like to talk about, and it holds all the reasons why I'm not gonna get married. So please just drop it."

Sakura looked at him a second and then silently nodded. A gesture he only barely caught as he turned around. "So what about you, we've been sitting here talking all about me, but what about you, Sakura Haruno, medic-nin for the Konoha hospital. I noticed that one of the few pictures you have had a couple of guys in them, who are they?"

She looked lost in thought. "They were my team, and my friends. Sasuke and Naruto. As different as two people could be. Probably couldn't find either of them now even if the entire ninja world went looking for them. Sasuke, he, betrayed Konoha, just disappeared to follow a guy who told him that he could give him power, and Naruto, well, was Naruto. He's classified as a missing nin despite the fact next to nobody wanted him in the village. He was attacked by a mob on the same day I decided to finally go out with him. He was pretty bad off, and I heard something I wasn't supposed to. I turned away from him when he needed me. I'm not proud of myself for that. I just wish I could do it all again. He left after that. I haven't seen him since."

"Sounds like you two were close." Naruto stood up and went to the pot to stir it's contents and started to work on making it thicker.

"He would have loved that, but no. At the time I only had eyes for Sasuke. I totally ignored Naruto, I can only imagine how much that must have hurt, he was ignore his whole life."

He turned to her and let the cooking finish itself up. "It almost sounds like you love him."

Sakura shook her head. "Nah, but I never even gave him a chance, and thanks to that I lost one of my best friends. It could have been love, but we didn't have the time."

"And what would you do if he came back?" Naruto watched, silently praying.

"My duty as a ninja would be to kill him." Naruto's eyes watered as he turned around. "But I'd probably hug him and tell him how much I've missed him."

Naruto's eyes glistened as the tears slowly ran down his cheeks. _I can't tell her. I can't._ "I never did keep that promise did I? I never did bring him back."

Sakura looked up at him. "Huh?" With his back turned to her he reached up and pulled apart the bindings that helt his collar closed and dropped his vest. She saw the huge tattoo in his back, countless seals worked into it and turned into a stylized fox with nine tails. He turned around and faced her, his whisker-like birth marks easy to see.

"Hey Sakura, how about that hug?"


	11. Chapter 11

This chapter is dedicated to TrapedSoul who though he hates Naru/Saku has continued to read this story faithfully, knowing full well that it was Naru/Saku...

Thanks man, glad to know I can still keep an audience even if they hate the pairing.

XXX

"Na-Naruto?" Sakura grabbed him and hugged herself into his chest. "Naruto I can't believe it's you." The hug lasted for several minutes and Naruto felt good.

Until her fist collided with the top of his head sending him to the floor. "IDIOT! What the hell are you doing here? If anyone sees you they're going to attack first and ask questions never."

He slowly got up wearing the same goofy grin from his childhood. It almost seemed like old times. "Sorry Sakura, but I traveled a little too far north and by the time I saw the village all my food was gone. Didn't have much of a choice." He reached up and scratched behind his head.

Sakura looked around nervously. "Naruto you always were a bonehead. You have to get out of here, tonight. I'll get you some money and then we need to sneak you out. God if Tsunade finds out about this"

Naruto interrupted her. "No, I'm not going anywhere. I have a contract, and I'm going to fulfill it."

"Naruto..., you can't. You're in danger." Naruto looked into her eyes.

"I'm always in danger. At least here I'm in danger in the company of a beautiful woman." He smiled gently as Sakura blushed.

"But... if they find out..." Sakura gulped.

"If they find out, I'll deal with it then. After all, nobody's been able to take me out yet. And god only knows how many people have tried." Naruto looked at her again. "Anyways, it's good to see you again Sakura. It's really good." He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead before turning away and opening the stove to pull the roast out.

"Naruto?"

"Yeah Sakura?" He turned around just slightly before she pushed him back into the counter and pressed her lips against his.

His eyes started to glaze over and as she released the kiss he slid to the floor with a grin plastered on his face. "Naruto I'm sorry, for how I acted that day. I was an idiot." She turned away from him as he got up.

Naruto looked at her before wrapping his arms around her. "No, you weren't. You just found out one of your best friends had the creature that nearly destroyed Konoha and everyone in it inside of him. You freaked, and I was scared. We both made mistakes back then. So don't even think of it."

"You always were too kind Naruto. Do you think, that maybe we could try dating? I'm not seeing anyone, and I never did get that chance."

Naruto's arms dropped to his side as he went back to preparing dinner. "No, we can't. I'm still a missing nin, and my contract expires in a few months. I'll need to move on after that. I'm sorry."

Sakura nodded silently though Naruto couldn't see it. "You're right Naruto," She wiped her eyes slightly. The emotions had become almost too much to bear. "But at least I have my friend back now."

Naruto handed her a plate with slice of roast and a bowl of stew. "Come on, let's eat before this gets cold."

The two sat across from each other at the small table Sakura almost never used. "I still can't believe that you're back. It seems, so unreal."

"Kinda is. Sounds like some stupid writer's idea of a story. I vanish for a few years and come back with a different identity. Sounds stupid. But here I am." He looked at her. "So? Why don't you fill me in on the rookie nine, eh?"

Sakura smiled as she started telling him some of the different adventures they'd shared. "And then there's the greatest adventure of all, building a life together, you already know Lee and Tenten got married, Hinata and Kiba are dating, Choji and Ino ended up eloping."

Naruto ended up spitting a piece of his food back onto his plate after hearing that. "Ino and Choji? How the hell did that happen?!"

"Believe it or not they were dating before you left. They were sneaking around, hell, even Shikamaru was surprised. One day they just vanished, then a couple of weeks later they're back, they're married, and they're wide out in the open."

Naruto looked at her and started laughing. "Oh my god, Ino married Choji, oh god, never saw that coming."

Sakura chuckled along with him. "Tell me about it, pretty much the entire rookie nine paired up."

"Hey Lee and Tenten got together, what about Neji? What's going on with him?"

She shrugged. "He's not a ninja anymore. He ended up a diplomat between Konoha and Suna along with Shikamaru who with his wife Temari, keep the ninjas of the two village abreast of what's happening in the other."

"So he married the Kazekage's sister. Wow. Never thought he'd be the guy who would risk Gaara's wrath."

"Yeah well, except for Temari, everything's troublesome to him. Even clothes."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

Sakura looked at her dining companion. "Oooh, well, see, it's kind of awkward to talk to him or Temari anymore. They, well." She looked away. "They're, nudists."

Naruto just barely managed to avoid spitting out his stew at the thought of Temari in the nude. "okay, wow. So, uh, who got who into?"

Sakura shook her head. "No idea, and not gonna ask."

They ate in an uncomfortable silence for a bit until Sakura started talking. "So, uh, you know, I've kinda wanted to see the seal since I found out, would you mind if I take a look?"

Naruto put down his fork with a piece of meat still on it. "Um, no, but, you can't."

Sakura nodded her head. "Okay, just wondering." She started picking at her food and Naruto watched.

"Sakura, you can't see the seal because, four years ago, the seal broke."


	12. Chapter 12

Due to the Rampant hormonal induced innuendos in this chapter, I am switching the rating to M for Mature Content.

This does not mean the story will become a lemon, will not happen.

Sakura reeled back in horror. "It broke!? But, that means, the, the, Kyuubi is free?" Her face twisted in horror at the things she'd been told about the attack almost twenty-nine years before.

Naruto shook his head. "No, it's not." Naruto looked down. "When the seal broke, I found something out. The seal was put on a newborn so that it's malleable soul would start to blend with the Kyuubi's. Slowly they would merge, that way, when I die. I'll take the Kyuubi with me."

Sakura stared at him in something between awe and horror. "So, then, it's soul is part of you?"

Naruto nodded silently. "The seal on my back keeps it from interfering in who I am. For all intents and purposes, It keeps the Kyuubi asleep. Unfortunately it's not strong enough to bind the soul of a demon and it's power."

"So you have Kyuubi's power? That's, that's incredible."

He glared at her. "Think Sakura. If it were in me, who's soul would it respond to, mine or Kyuubi's? The power is all his. If it were a part of me then it would be at his command and the seal would be destroyed. No, it's chakra is bound in a three level seal on my sword."_ If she only knew what would happen if I broke the new seal. I don't think she'd ever sleep again._

"Wow, Naruto, this, this is a lot to take in at once." She took the last bite of her meal. "I, I think I'm going to go lie down. Uh, just, just put the dishes in the sink. I'll do them in the morning." Sakura got up and deposited her stuff in the sink before making her way to her bedroom and collapsing on her bed.

_The Kyuubi's taken care of and Naruto told me to think, cha! His whole life he was an idiot, and now he's talking down to me, and he's so hot. Ooh that gives me warm feelings in my..._

_Normal Sakura appeared and belted her in the head. He's a friend. He can't stay here, and we can't leave. So get your mind out of the gutter._

_I don't wanna, he's cute and we BOTH wanna get him in the sack._

_Sakura looked perturbed. True as that is, we can't. All we can be is friends._

_Inner Sakura got a twisted and perverted look on her face. Really? Well, we both know how he feels about us. Just a little work and we could at least make it, friends with benefits._

_Sakura got a dreamy look on her face before snapping out of it and belting her other self. No seducing Naruto, he's a good man, who has real feelings for us. So STOP IT!_

_Sakura forced her inner self into a box and locked it tight. You're under house arrest. You don't get out till Naruto's gone._

_But that's six months! What am I supposed to do._

_Well since you have such a dirty mind, I'm sure your body will amuse you for at least half the time._

Sakura slowly came out of her daze and went to put on her nightgown.

XXXNaruto's RoomXXX

He layed sprawled across the bed. _Sakura, I want you, but, I can't risk your life. Too many people want me, and the only way we could be together is if you left the village and then Konoha would be after you too. Stupid stupid fox, this is all your fault, why the hell did he have to choose me, I could have been normal. I could have been loved._

His head fogged up with the numbness of oncoming sleep. Soon, he wouldn't notice the weight and warmth that found it's way into his bed that night. The two friends, who wanted to be lovers found themselves in each other's embrace without either's knowledge.

_Cha, stupid bitch doesn't know she has to be awake to keep me chained up_.

XXXThe next morningXXX

Naruto was sleeping soundly when the force of several blows started raining down on his head waking him up and knocking him unconcious before forcing him back into consciousness, the only thing he managed to catch was a woman in pink panties and nothing else running from the room.

What the hell just happened?

The next several days would pass in simliar circumstances. Sakura made sure he understood that she'd been sleep-walking and that it wouldn't happen again.

She was wrong about that.

And on the few mornings when he woke up first he was glad for that.

Before a week had passed. Naruto and Sakura were summoned to the Hokage's office to get his first mission.


	13. Chapter 13

They strode confidently down the paneled halls of the tower and towards the office of the Hokage, soon as the secretary saw Naruto she giggled and told them to go on through. 

Sakura looked at him a bit angrily.

Naruto just shrugged his shoulders. The collar rose up and nearly hid his eyes from view. "Sweet talked secretaries have saved my life before. I made a habit of it."

Sakura shook her head as she pushed open the door and came face to face, with her one-time sensei Tsunade.

"So, kill, scouting, protection, whatta ya got for me?"

Sakura looked over at him as he became a different person.

Tsunade watched him too. "Scouting, possible assassination."

Naruto looked at her. "Intelligence?"

"Large group of people making their way towards Konoha. Outfitted like a military. Your mission is to find out if it's hostile. If so, you'll be in charge of a precision strike against it's head."

"Understood? Anything else I should know?"

Tsunade shook her head. "We have several choices for a third team member if you'd care to"

"Rock Lee. That's who I want out there with me." Naruto looked at her quietly.

"Very well. I'll have him meet you at the east gate. Sakura, you know what to do right?"

Sakura nodded. "Keep an eye out for any strange activity on his part and be ready to kill him."

Tsunade nodded. "Okay, get going, time is a factor here."

Sakura and Naruto walked out of the office together. "Did you need to be so blunt about possibly killing me?"

Sakura shrugged. "That's the way it is. You knew that already."

"Still... I'd appreciate some trust."

The two bantered back and forth as their feet led them instinctively towards the East Gate where Lee was already waiting. "Hello my friend! Are you ready for your first mission for Konoha?"

Naruto snorted back his laughter. "Lee, I've been ready for almost seventeen years."

Sakura laughed while Lee just nodded, wondering what was so funny.

XXXGoing through the forestXXX

"Stick to the trees, we'll come at them from above. No noise. If I drop into it wait ten minutes before coming in and saving my ass unless I give you other orders. Understood?"

Both Sakura and Lee nodded as they ran across the branches and above the armed troops.

Naruto's eyes perked up and he smiled perversely when he saw a stylized tortiose on a banner. "Kiro." A low menacing laughter came from the back of his throat sending shivers of fear down Lee's and Sakura's spines.

He stood up in place on the branch and looked over at his comrades. "I won't be needing you're help. Feel free to stay up here. BONZAI!" He jumped letting his foot slam into a guard who went down instantly. He swung his sword with the sheath still attached knocking out another. He decimated the guard who gave him a wide berth after his entrance.

"KIRO YOU UGLY SON-OF-A-WHORE! GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE!"

Out of large tent a man walked. He was easily three times Naruto's size and he wore red armor so thick it was amazing he could stand up. In each hand he held a staff with a blade on both ends.

"Who dares call me such names! I will destroy you." When he caught sight of Naruto he grinned.

"Well if it isn't Uzu, The Eastern Blade. Today is a good day to die."

Naruto nodded. "Yes, it is." He smiled underneath his collar. "Let's go, Ultimate Defense Master Kiro!"

The mammoth man charged forwards swinging his blades around in arcs while Naruto swung his blade still sheathed into them.

The three weapons clashed against each other and Naruto was knocked back.

"HAHAHA! I have you this time!" He startes spinning his blades and brought them both down slicing towards Naruto's neck.


	14. Chapter 14

Naruto rolled forward and jumped landing on the man's massive hands. He brought his sheathed sword down on top of the helmet before jumping forward and planting his foot in the same place and jumping over him and swinging the sword in as far as he could in an arc causing it to slam backwards into his opponent's helmet. 

Lee stood up. "Our friend is in danger, we must help."

Sakura placed a restraining hand on his shoulder. "No Lee. He knows this guy's strength and weaknesses inside and out, look at him.

She watched Naruto roll to the side and jump up dodging a strike from each staff.

His sword swept forward fast enough to wrench a plate of armor off.

"He doesn't need us, he's toying with him."

As she said that, Naruto swept his foot into where the armor had come off bringing a powerful bellow from the man within.

"Why you little bastard! I oughta kill you."

He forged ahead with his staff acting as a spear. Naruto jumped straight up causing it to just barely move under his privates. Once the blade was past he snapped his legs shut and rolled away taking the staff with him. Naruto slung his sword back into it's customary place and ran back towards his enemy. He used the staff to pole-vault over the man and made sure the staff hit him in the head again.

Naruto twirled around and placed the blade against the small strip of skin visible between the armor and the helmet.

"Hey Kiro, you lose." He threw the staff over the man's shoulder and watched as Kiro caught it.

"Damn you Uzu, I'm going to beat you one of these days."

"In your dreams you magnificent pig boy!"

Sakura and Lee watched in amazement as Kiro turned around and shook Naruto's hand.

Naruto looked up. "Come on down, it's fine." Lee and Sakura looked at each other before dropping down. "Eh, Kiro, come meet my friends, this is Rock Lee, and Sakura Haruno."

Kiro took off his helmet and gave Naruto a side-long glance before bowing to them. "Ah, It is a pleasure to meet friends of my esteemed brother-in-arms. I am Kiro, also known as Ultimate Defense Master Kiro. How did you come to travel with my young apprentice here."

Naruto jumped up and kicked Kiro in the back of the head. "STOP CALLING ME THAT! I'm not your danged apprentice and you know it."

Kiro, who's salt and pepper hair and beard hid most of his face had a sheepish grin on his face. "Ahh, but you know I've taught you much."

Naruto punched him. "The only thing you taught me was how to be more polite when pigging out!"

Kiro sat down and Naruto started talking. "I've got a contract with a village a little ways away. Lee and Sakura are residents. That's how I know them. What brings you this way?"

"I'd heard you were in the area. I thought it as good a time as any to return what's yours to you."

A feminine voice called out. "UNCLE KIRO? It's time to spar!" Kiro visibly flinched.

"Oy, quite the fire-cracker she is."

A rather small girl of around twelve or thirteen years old started running through the camp. All the men had quickly moved out of her way. She halted for a second right before running full-tilt at Naruto and jumping into his now outstrecthed arms.

"DADDY!"

(A/N) Sorry for the shortness, but it's kind of a filler chapter.

till next time

LATER DAYS!


	15. Chapter15

Sakura's eyes widened while Lee's did the same. 

Their reaction was the same.

"DADDY!?"

"DADDY!?

_CHA HE'S A GONNA DIE!_

Naruto's ears picked up the sound of knuckles cracking and he stiffened. "Rin? How about you go get something to eat real quick? There's something I need to talk to Uncle Kiro about."

Rin nodded sadly. "You won't leave, will you?"

Naruto shook his head. "Don't worry. I'm staying right here. Now go. I need to make some arrangements."

Rin ran off and he watched proudly as the mercenaries scattered out of her way with a look of fear.

Kiro moved away while smiling as Sakura stalked toward him.

Naruto turned around looking into her eyes. "She's adopted."

Sakura stopped moving while Kiro laughed. "Aye laddie, seems you found yourself a woman as feisty as you are. Be glad, good women don't come around as often as you seem to think."

Sakura stood as still as a statue as her normal coloring took on a deep red.

Naruto turned to Kiro. "There is no relationship Kiro, keep your mouth closed."

Kiro shut it as he noticed the hard look in his eyes. "Right me laddie. I understand, Kiro will just be over here minding his own business as you explain what's going on." Kiro wandered back into the tent.

"It was about eight years ago. While wandering after my latest job I met her. Her parents were killed by some bandits on the side of the road. She was almost dead at the time. I took her to the next town. Got us a room so she could sleep and took care of her. She wouldn't stop crying when she woke up. She didn't know where she was and wanted her parents. I told her," Naruto stopped talking for a minute as he cleared his eyes. "I told her I was a friend of her parents, and that I was supposed to keep an eye on her. So I did. About a year later she forgot about them and started calling me daddy. So, I decided I'd be her father and raise her as good as I could. Then about a year ago, I was hired to fight in a small war. They were going to give me enough money that I could settle down and raise her. But I knew it would be bloody so I went to my friend Kiro and asked him to watch her."

"The war went badly, my side lost and my employer murdered. I never saw the money and I missed my rendevous with Kiro. I've been wandering and looking for her and extra work along the way ever since."

Lee was crying. "The poor child, how could such a defenseless girl be left alone. Those heartless scoundrels that killed her parents should die. And yet the fires of her youth burn brightly!" Lee got up and stood in his famous good-guy pose. "You are an excellent person my friend. I would be worse off for not knowing you."

Sakura looked down at the ground while having a conversation with herself.

_He left his daughter in the hands of mercenaries. He needs to hurt._

_And yet, he did it so they could settle down and be a family. He did it for her._

_Bands like this are notorious, half these men are probably murderers and rapists. He shouldn't have left her with them. Inner-Sakura glared at her._

_But she's fine. And she's happy. If I didn't know better, I'd say she really is his daughter. She certainly does seem like Naruto. She has the same attitude toward life._

_But she could have been hurt. Cha, can we at least hit him._

_No._

Sakura looked up. Well, we wouldn't want to break your promise. I suppose she could stay at the apartment.

Naruto looked at her, tears of thanks shining in his eyes. "Sakura, thank you. I wonder how strong she's gotten."

Sakura and Lee looked at each other.

Sakura voiced her thoughts. "Strong? She's only twelve how strong can she be?"

Naruto smiled. "Strong enough that she can beat half these mercenaries if they attacked her together."

His friends blanched in unison.

Naruto laughed. "She traveled with a mercenary for 7 years. She learned how to fight."

"Sakura, really, thank you. Well come on, I'll send Kiro on his way and call for Rin."

He walked into the tent and talked for a couple of minutes before coming out. "And thanks again Kiro. I hope your future endeavors bring you much profit."

Kiro laughed. "Aye, and may you have fun with that pink-headed girl. You know she'd make a fine mother to Rin."

Naruto leaned down for a rock and threw it back in the tent.

"OW!"

"RIN, GET OVER HERE, WE'RE MOVING OUT!"

Before any of the men could move out of the way a trail of dust rushed through leaving them knocked down and knocked out. Rin jumped up on her father and sat right down on his shoulders.

Naruto grinned underneath his collar.

"Daddy, why are you hiding your face? I like your whisker marks."

Naruto paled considerably before looking over at Lee who looked oblivous. He reached up, threw her into the air, and caught her. He leaned down and whispered. "Shh, those marks could get daddy in trouble. So be quiet about them."

Rin nodded and climbed back up on his shoulders.

The three friends set off.

A little bit before they hit the village Lee decided to go on ahead.

"You have need to spend time with your daughter. I shall give the report. And don't worry. I will keep your secret Naruto, my friend."

With that Lee ran off while Naruto's face changed to that of horror.

"Oh dear god. It's been less than a week and already two people know who I am."

Sakura shook her head. "Idiot."


	16. Chapter 16

Naruto and Rin followed behind Sakura while walking to what would be their home for the next six months. They talked about many things, but Naruto focused much on how she'd been feeling since she was staying with 'Uncle' Kiro. 

_Sakura smiled secretly. Naruto's a dad. He's not taking her dad's place. He is her dad. He loves her like she's his own._

_So what? He has a kid, and he didn't even tell us. Cha, he's ours what does he think he's doing having a kid._

_Sakura glared at her inner-self. You wanna go back in the box?_

_Her other side shuddered. No, no I don't. But come on, he has a kid. He should have told us._

_And what business of ours was it? For all intents and purposes, we ran him out of town twelve years ago. Hell, we're lucky he told us who he was._

_So, what's your point?_

_Sakura smacked her head. My point is,_ "IT ISN'T OUR BUSINESS!"

Sakura suddenly noticed the looks coming from around her. Most noticeably from Naruto and Rin. "Uh, did I just say that out loud?"

Rin giggled and Naruto smiled a smile that could only be seen by his eye. "More like shouted it out loud."

Sakura's face quickly became the same color as her hair. "Oops. Err, let's take a shortcut. I'd rather not stay here any longer than necessary."

Naruto nodded.

Sakura ducked into an alley and Naruto and Rin followed. "Now where is it. Konohamaru told me it was back here." She started searching the small field.

Naruto's eyes bulged. "Did you say Konohamaru?"

Sakura nodded. "Yeah, he told me that when he was a kid he always used to use this passage. It comes out right next to the arena. What of it?"

Naruto walked over to where a loose flap could be seen and lifted it. The hole underneath had been boarded up, and from the looks of it, some time ago. "He's the reason I was late to the chuunin exams."

Sakura stared at the hole. "Ah, man. You've gotta be kidding me."

Naruto looked around the clearing. Geez this brings back memories. "Well, come on, if we're going to get there fast, might as well go by roof." He jumped from one wall to another and got himself to the rop of a roof. "Come on Rin, Sakura. Let's go."

Rin and Sakura looked at each other. Rin smiled. "I can do it if you can, ya old hag." Having said this she flipped onto the wall and flipped off tucking her body into a ball and landing next to Naruto.

The two took off and Sakura jumped up and started after them. "GET BACK HERE! I'LL SHOW YOU WHO'S THE OLD HAG!" She started sprinting across the roofs and continued on until she caught up with them. She pressed a finger to Rin who was sent sprawling and kept running. "WHAT'S WRONG YA WHIPPER-SNAPPER! CAN'T KEEP UP WITH AN OLD LADY?" She started laughing as she raced across the rooftops with Naruto and Rin.

Naruto just kept up as the two females continued to trade jabs. Neither Naruto or Sakura noticed they weren't headed towards her apartment. They were having too much fun.

XXXSakura's Apartment 3 hours laterXXX

"Hahahahahahaha. So little lady, gonna admit who's bigger and badder?"

Rin walked in right behind Sakura. "Oooh. You big meany." Sakura bounced off a couch and Rin tackled her and started tickling.

Naruto smiled for a second and then winced beneath his collar as his right arm fell to his side. He quickly faked a yawn. "Well, I don't know about you two, but today was just exhausting for me. I think I'm gonna go lay down and take a little nap, but first a shower. You two have fun now. And Sakura be careful with my daughter. You don't want to make her angry." Having said this he walked into the bathroom and undressed. He stepped into the shower and started the water.

He removed the leather wrappings and revealed blood soaked gauze beneath them. He dipped his arm under the flowing water and let it carry his blood away from the mangled mess.


	17. Chapter 17

Naruto's arm hung useless at his side. It's mangled mass completely immobile. "Stupid fucking" his words quickly were left behind as a string of unintelligible half-muttered curses. He slowly reached over for his sword with his left hand and took it from it's casing. The metal it was made out of was black, not pure black like people think of, but a black so deep it was as if the light never touched the blade. 

It was surrounded by an aura of menace. There was no doubt to those who saw it, that this sword was something they'd never live to see again.

Naruto held the hilt gently and let the blade tip rest on the floor of the shower.

"First level, release." A row of Kanji appeared on the edge of the sword glowing red before vanishing. The blade started to glow as the energy of the Kyuubi shot up the blade filling it with power. Naruto slowly gathered it's chakra and forced it towards his arm. A deep reddish energy started to run it's length. Almost as though someone had wrapped his arm in power. The aura condensed until it was merely a millimeter surrounding the flesh, bones, and muscles of the useless appendage. His right hand flexed.

He got out of the shower and grabbed his gauze wrapping. He carefully wound it around his arm until none of the mangled mass could be seen. He took his leather wraps and started buckling them around the gauze.

Soon his arm was covered in it's usual attire.

Naruto grabbed his sword and placed it back into it's sheath before getting dressed and making his way out of the bathroom.

He waved at them with his right arm and quickly went to grab a bite to eat from the fridge. After that, he retreated to his room. _Thrice damned fox! If you weren't part of me I'd kill you._

**_But Kit, what have I done? Aren't you the one using my chakra to keep your arm moving and prevent yourself from bleeding to death?_**

_Only cause my own reserves ran out you fucking demon!"_

The fox chuckled. _**So where are we now? I've been asleep for so long. The fox emphasized this with a yawn.**_

_And the second my chakra's back I'll force yours back into the sword and you'll be going nighty-night again._

The fox laughed again. _**Don't forget kit, no matter what else happens. You belong to me. You know this.**_

_I belong to nobody asshole!_

A light knock came from the door. "Naruto? Can I come in?"

Naruto nodded then realized she couldn't see him. "Yeah, come on in."

Sakura walked through the door. "Hey, you okay? You seemed kind of quiet out there."

Naruto nodded his head. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just need to gather my strength so to speak. Between my fights with Lee, you, and Kiro, I'm starting to feel the strain. I'll be fine in a couple of days." _Soon as this damned fox stops talking in my head._

"Well, okay. Hey, Rin and I were talking, and you know what. Tomorrow we're cooking you dinner."

Naruto's eyes widened in horror. "NO! Do not let her near the kitchen. The girl can fight like a monster, I'll give her that, but if she's out to cook, prepare to die. I wouldn't wish her cooking on my worst enemy."

Sakura laughed. "Come on, there's no way she could be that bad."

Naruto glared at her. "The last time she made instant pudding, she nearly burnt down a village."

"Instant pudding doesn't even need heat. How could she burn down a village?"

Naruto watched her eyes. "Exactly my point."

Sakura paled. "Okay then. No kitchen for her." _CHA! KILL HIM, KILL THE ASSHOLE! HE SHOULD HAVE TOLD US HE HAD A DAUGHTER!_ Sakura's inner self was quickly locked away.

Naruto yawned. "Now, if you think you can avoid trying to rape me in my sleep, I'm bushed."

Sakura blushed brightly and looked at her other self who was still advocating hurting him. "I don't think that will be a problem. Good night Naruto."

"Good night Sakura." He quickly dug himself into his covers and watched her close the door. He reached over to turn out his light.

XXXThe Next MorningXXX

Naruto was woken up by the sound of a fire extingusher going off. He looked at the door groggily. _Dammit, don't tell me she tried to pour her own cereal again._

He fell back on his pillow. "This is gonna be a long day."


	18. Ch18: SE 1: WARRIORS OF RAMEN!

After having gotten the fire under control in the kitchen, Naruto quickly surveyed the damage. 

Sakura sat on a stool near him.

"She just, all she did was, she only put milk on, then, flames, everywhere."

Naruto nodded. "Yep. I've been thinking she's cursed for awhile now. I just don't see how else she sets cold cereal on fire. Well, nothing we can do. So, who wants to go out for breakfast?" Rin bobbed her head up and down, entirely unsympathetic to the destruction she caused.

Sakura just watched them walk out of the house and followed slowly.

XXXIchiraku's Ramen StandXXX (SURPRISE! Yeah, right, like you didn't see this coming)

Rin stopped stone-cold still when she saw where they were going. "Daddy?"

Her sweet little girl voice immediately put Naruto on edge. "Yeah?"

"I challenge you old man! You won't beat me this time!"

Naruto smirked into his collar. "Oh yeah!" You've never even come close to me!" Naruto's voice seemed to change into a truly demonic version of itself. "I ACCEPT YOUR CHALLENGE LITTLE GIRL" It quickly returned to normal. "But we gotta keep it cheap. I got something I have to pick up later."

"Okay."

The two rushed into the Ramen stand making quite the scene.

"Hey! Need twenty-one bowls of Ramen, varying styles! And we need it now."

"Aye-aye!" He quickly set to his task along with his daughter. _Who knew my last day in charge would have such an order! It's just like having Naruto back._

Between the two of them they had the order ready in record time. Naruto and Rin went along positioning the various bowls between them.

Rin had an evil glare in her eye. "Ramen Fight All Set!"

Naruto matched her evil glint. "Ready!"

The two lunged forward with the same word.

"GO!"

"GO!"

Naruto smacked Rin's hand away from the bowl she was heading for and snatched the noodles with a pair of chopsticks. With a flick of his wrist it was wound into a tight ball that he launched off his utensils and let drop into his mouth.

Rin countered by grabbing the ball as it went towards her father's mouth and shoved it in her own.

Naruto who had already reacting to it was pouring two bowls down his throat at the same time. Rin slammed her fist down on the edge of a bowl sending it's contents into the air.

The two surged up out of their seats trying to catch the load of noodles. Naruto forced his hand forward and caught the soggy mass, Rin brought her hand forward and smacked his out of the way causing it to drop. The two continuously smacked each other's hands away while Sakura calmly ate her Ramen and enjoyed the show. A show that had drawn in an audience. Most of whom were ordering something to eat.

Rin calmly reached her head out and bit it out of the air while their hands were busy.

Simultaneously the two went into a spin kick and launched Ramen bowls at each other.

Both connected and rebounded while their launchers grabbed the food inside.

Ayame watched as the supply of ingredients steadily dwindled down to nothing. _It's not even ten. And we've sold out our entire day's stock._ Ayame licked her lips thinking about how she'd be able to buy those new earrings after all.

She watched the two continue to duke it out in the duel of Ramen until they started to glare after each had eaten their tenth bowl.

"Last bowl girlie! And we're all tied up. MINE!"

"NOT ON YOUR LIFE OLD MAN!"

Their hands simultaneously dove towards the mass of noodles in the last dish while they were glaring only to have their hands hit each other and then the stand.

Their glaring contest ground to a screeching halt as they looked at their hands and the empty spot the bowl should have occupied. The two simultaneously shrieked.

"MY RAMEN!"

Sakura looked down at the empty bowl in her hand, set it on the counter, and pushed it away from her in hopes of avoiding the anger of the two breakfast brawlers.

The two looked over at the cook. Naruto pointed to the counter where the bowl should have been. "Where'd our other bowl go?"

The cook quickly pointed at Sakura who's hand was still pushing the incriminating evidence away from her. "Uh, oops. I thought one was mine." Her blush was magnificent.

Naruto held up one finger to the cook. "One more please."

The man looked at him. "Uh, sorry, we're out of everything."

Sakura quickly got off the stool as Naruto and Rin's heads rotated painfully to glare at her.

One of the men in the place turned toward the cook and owner. "That was stupendous! If that's what happens here, I'm gonna be back every day!"

Many of the customers nodded and agreed it was one of the most remarkable shows they'd ever seen.

Ayame looked at her father. Her father looked at her. As though they were sharing a single brain they turned towards Naruto and Rin to tell them they had free ramen every morning if they'd only have the fight along with it.

Naruto and Rin had vanished leaving only the money behind.

The two would have to be happy they got the money as the two were already preoccupied chasing Sakura Haruno, apprentice to the Hokage, around the town in a fit of rage.

(A/N) Welcome to Special Edition number 1 of Betrayed. Also entitled... Warriors of Ramen! (have to get the quirky humor of Naruto in somehow)

RAMEN FIGHT ALL SET! READY! GO!

Phrase simlarity to that of Mobile Fighter G Gundam is entirely on purpose.

Phrase is used without permission and belongs to Gundam. (so in other words, PLEASE DON'T SUE ME!)


	19. Chapter 19

Neji knocked on the door of the office with a fully business like manner. 

"Come in."

Tsunade looked up as Neji walked in. "What is it Neji? I've got tons of paperwork to do."

"Lady Hokage. There's been a disturbance in the village. Two people, A man and a young girl are chasing Miss Haruno around the town. Would you like me to assemble a team to deal with the matter?"

Tsunade looked at her hands. "Do it. Yesterday it was a game of tag." She didn't elaborate on how she knew about yesterday's game. The hole in the wall however spoke of an accident that resulted in meeting the mercenary's daughter. "Today, it might not be so innocent. Take Kiba and Hinata with you. Handle the matter."

"Lady Hokage, I feel like I must point out I'm no longer an active shinobi. I may have helped during the search for the man last week, but that is in no way saying that I'm returning to active duty as anything other than a diplomat."

Tsunade just waved her hand. "This is a mission for your village. ANY shinobi may be called upon. I decided it was your job. Now go."

Neji bowed and left the room. He quickly activated his bloodline and looked around. He found Hinata and Kiba in a bar less than a block away.

_Oy, too many bars around here since she was named Hokage._ Neji shook his head and went to find them.

By the time he reached the bar, Kiba was three sheets to the wind while Hinata looked on giggling as he declared his love in a long, bad song. Kiba's singing was quickly joined by several other patrons of the establishment. None of them were singing the same song. Of course to Neji it barely had any lyrics.

He began to believe the song was something Kiba wrote himself. _Okay, he's useless._ "Hinata!"

Kiba stared over at Neji. "NARUTO! WHAT AHHH YOU DOING BACK HEEEEEH!" His voice wandered off as his head started to roll back and he quickly gained his balance back. He jumped up on the table and glared at Neji. "COME ON, I'LL TAKE YA! I'll blow you awaaaaay like I souldadun durin the exams!" Kiba started to raise his hand and point at Neji right before he planted his face into the table completely asleep.

"Okay, anyways, Hinata. The Hokage has a mission for us. Our new, addition, is currently chasing Sakura around town. She wants us to check it out."

Hinata nodded. "But, what about Kiba?"

_Let him drown in a puddle of Sake._ "Prop him up and leave him. We need speed on this."

Hinata nodded and the bar owner helped her get Kiba settled down into a booth and his alchohol induced slumber.

The two took off across the skyline.

With both of their byakugans activated it took little time for them to locate their quarry.

Naruto, or Uzu as they thought of him, and Rin, were still chasing Sakura.

Sakura was leading them through twisting turns and dark alleys but the two of them kept finding her.

She sprinted across a busy street while Naruto and Rin jumped up on a horse and it's cart respectively and launched themselves onto the roofs on either side of her route.

Naruto screamed at her. "Just give yourself up and it won't be too bad!"

Rin screamed at Naruto. "SCREW THAT! SHE ATE OUR RAMEN, SHE DIES!"

Rin launched herself into the street they entered and slammed into Sakura's back. A back that vanished as soon as she touched it.

Instead her head collided with a brick.

Naruto winced as the brick crumbled. _Oooh, bad move Sakura._

**_HAHA The wench does have skill._**

_SHUT UP FOX!_

**_Make me squirt!_**

Rin jumped up from the slight headache she'd recieved. "Ow!" She rubbed at the bump. "OWIE OWIE OWIE!" Naruto groaned. "There's no way Sakura's gonna fall for that."

He saw a person in a robe stop to help her. Rin clocked the person sending the hood back revealing Sakura. _Ooh, that's gonna bruise._ Sakura fell to the asphalt street and scrambled away as she realized Rin had tricked her.

Naruto shook his head and jumped in front of her. "Oh Sakura?"

She looked at the maniacal gleam in his eyes.

Neji and Hinata dropped on either side of her just as Naruto asked her for the price of the Ramen.

Neji and Hinata blanched.

Neji stared at the man. "This, is about, Ramen?"

Naruto looked up at him. "What else would it be about?"

Rin eagerly nodded her head.

Hinata groaned. "Oh geez. You can't be serious."

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "Well, we were having a food fight and she ate the last bowl."

Rin dropped to her knees. "I WAS ABOUT TO BEAT HIM FOR THE FIRST TIME!"

Naruto turned toward her and instantly entered his cool guy mode. "Yeah, right. You've never beaten me. You never will. For I am the master. And my skill far surpasses your own!"

Naruto looked around the street full of confused people and noticed something. "Ooh, hey, the store. Now I can get my armor."

Naruto walked away leaving the four staring at his backside. Hinata and Sakura were staring at it with more intensity than the others.

Sakura unconsciouly licked her lips.

Hinata just blushed at her unwholesome thoughts.

Neji and Rin just stared after him in amazement and amusement.

Rin laughed. "That's my daddy."

Sakura blushed at the remembrance of a dream that had similar words coming from her mouth about him.

XXXArmor shopXXX

"Hey old man! My order done yet?"

The guy in the back of the shop looked over at him. "Oh yeah, it's you." The man held his hand behind his head. "Well, truth be told. I haven't even started yet."

Naruto dropped to the side and immediately stood up pointing at him. "WHAT'S WITH YOU OLD MAN! YOU TOLD ME A WEEK!"

The man shrugged. "I didn't think you were coming back."

"THAT'S NO WAY TO RUN A BUSINESS!"

He shrugged again. "It is if you've made enough over the years to be able to give away free merchandise for the rest of your life and still live like a king."

Naruto blanched. "You've gotta be kidding me."

The man shrugged yet again and his arms stayed raised. The man shook his head and managed to get his arms back down. "Okay, gotta stop shrugging so much. And no, I'm not kidding. My armor is famous in the Shinobi world, I get orders from everywhere. Practically every order goes through me and is specially fitted. Hell, my mail-order business is through the roof. Oh, and for the inconvenience, anything you want in the store is yours. And the armor's free too. Just make sure you don't go overboard."

The man turned his back and Naruto looked at the shelves filled with ninja equipment, bags, armor, and sharp pieces of metal that could be used in many various situations provided the person using it had the imagination.

Naruto found his way to the back of the store and found armor that would fit perfectly on Rin. He grabbed a set. He grabbed a bag and shoved field rations in. He also grabbed many sharp metal poles. The final thing he put in the bag was a set of high-end training weights that with the right jutsu could be increased to over two-thousand pounds. Naruto looked at them._ Bit excessive, but whatever works._ He quickly strapped them on and started to walk towards the door.

He turned toward the old man who was huddled over a board towards the back of the store. "Thanks old man."

He glanced back at him.

_No problem Naruto. I just wish I'd been here sooner._ The old man grinned maniacally as Naruto went through the door. He straightened his back and released his illusion. His hair became a striking gold color.

"After all, the grandfather you never knew you had, and who didn't know you existed, is about to walk into your life."


	20. Chapter 20

Neji, Rin, Hinata, and Sakura watched as Naruto walked back out the door. 

Sakura looked at him expectantly. "Well, what did you get?"

Naruto shook his head. "Not what I wanted, I ordered some armor off of him, but he hasn't even started. So he let me have my pick of stuff from the store and my armor's gonna be on the house."

Rin looked happy while Neji, Sakura, and Hinata gaped.

Sakura was the first one to speak up. "You're kidding me. Old man Kuusara is giving you free armor?"

Naruto shrugged. "Yeah, what's the big deal?"

Hinata and Neji face planted into the ground and appeared next to him at seemingly twice their normal sizes.

Neji stared at him. "That man in there is Kyasaru Kuusara, the man who makes THE best ninja equipment in the five nations."

Hinata nodded. "Anybody who can, will order his stuff. He is immune to missions. No ninja will touch the guy. He moves around a lot and came here about ten years ago. He's been here ever since."

Naruto nodded. "So then, he's quite a big shot huh?"

Sakura slapped her hand on her forehead. "Naruto you..." Sakura stopped talking as she noticed three sets of eyes fall on her. Two of them turned back towards their companion.

"Dammit Sakura." He quickly slapped his hands over the Hyuugas' mouths. "Yes, It's me. Don't talk about it. Okay?"

Neji and Hinata nodded their heads slowly.

Naruto reluctantly removed his hands from their mouths. "I think we should talk in private. Sakura, perhaps it's best if we don't speak in public anymore." The glare in his eyes told her the matter was not up for negotiation so she simply nodded.

Naruto looked back at Hinata and Neji. "Come on, let's hit the apartment."

The four began to walk.

XXXSakura's Bachelorette PadXXX

"So that's how I ended up here. I needed supplies and I lost all of them after spending my cash."

Neji looked at the bag Naruto had carried in. "It looks like you have more than enough for you and your, daughter. You should leave before anyone else discovers your identity."

Hinata looked at him without the normal blush. Though her stutter did seem to make a reappearance. "Y-yes Naruto. It's n-not safe here."

Naruto looked at them. "Doesn't matter. I accepted a contract. I never cut out on a contract."

Sakura watched this quietly still upset over how easily she'd let his secret slip.

Naruto looked at Neji and Neji looked back at him. "How many people know you're here in Konoha?"

The one time blond looked at him. "Besides Rin, four. Sakura, you two, and Lee. And I need you to keep quiet about it.

Sakura looked thoughtful. "Naruto, I think we should tell the others."

Naruto swung his head in shock over towards her. "What?"

She nodded. "Now just hear me out. After your secret was blown. There were some bad reactions. But, we got over it. All of us, Lee, Tenten, Chouji, Ino, everybody. And the more people who know, the less we have to worry about. We're ninjas, we can keep secrets."

Naruto looked at her coldly. "Is that so Sakura?"

She flinched. "Okay, I know, I screwed up. But it was in front of your friends."

Naruto stood up. "And what if it had been in front of Tsunade, Iruka, or Kakashi! If they find out who I am, my head would be up on the chopping block and you know it! I'm an S-class, you know what that means. Terminate on sight. I might have a chance if I were an A-class, at least then I might be able to get myself a trial."

Hinata looked at the boy she used to have a crush on. "Umm, Naruto. M-maybe you shouldn't be so hard on her. It was an accident."

He turned towards her. "An accident that can get me killed and that would leave Rin alone. Hell, she's lost one set of parents, I won't let it happen again just because she doesn't remember them."

Rin walked out from her hiding spot in the hallway. "I, do."

Naruto turned to stare at her. "Wha, Rin? Umm, you go back into your room sweetie. We have important things to talk about."

Rin looked down at the carpet. "I do remember them. I know I'm not your daughter." Tears started to creep into her eyes. "But I am Rin, I am the girl you raised me to be. And I don't turn away just because it isn't something I want to hear." The tears were running down her face. "I might not be your daughter," She slammed her hand down on the table. "But I'M RIN UZUMAKI DAMMIT! AND I'LL FIGHT EVERYONE IN THIS VILLAGE TO PROTECT YOU!"

Naruto and the rest of the former genin stared at her. He slowly got up and wrapped his arms around her.

He whispered into her ear. "Yes, you are. You are my daughter. And I couldn't have asked for a better one."

Sakura and Hinata watched this loving moment between father and daughter. Neji maintained his cool, calculated exterior.

"This is all well and good, but the fact is Naruto. You are still a missing nin, you must leave this village by tomorrow at midnight. Or I will inform the Hokage." Neji started to walk out of the small apartment. "Do not mistake me, I consider you my friend. But my first loyalty is to this village. I'm giving you all the time I can. Go." Having finished speaking, the elder Hyuuga removed himself from the apartment.


	21. Chapter 21

Naruto sat down on the end of the couch. His shoulders drooped. "Sakura. Tie me up, and go to Tsunade." 

Sakura, Hinata, and Rin swirled their heads towards him.

"Naruto, no. Come on, we need to get you out of here."

"No Sakura, Hinata and Neji are fine, they've known for all of an hour, you on the other hand have known a lot longer. You could be locked up."

"No. I'll take my chances." Sakura held up a hand to stop his protest. "Naruto, it's my life. And I can do what I want with it."

"Dad, let's get out of here. You can always find work." Rin looked up at him as he shook his head.

"Rin, do you remember what I taught you?"

She nodded. "Never break a promise. If we don't keep our word, who can we expect to keep theirs."

He nodded. "Exactly, and a contract is as much a promise as if you actually said 'I promise.'" He turned to Hinata. "Get out of here. There's no reason for you to get in trouble too."

Hinata stood up and walked towards the door. "Naruto, good luck." She opened the door and walked out.

Naruto looked over at the clock. "Well, I'm not leaving, you're not turning me in, and killing Neji is not an option. So, I guess that means he tells."

Sakura looked at him. "Come on, there's gotta be something else we can do. You don't deserve to die just because you didn't want to be hated because of..." She stopped talking and looked over at Rin.

"Don't worry. She knows about him."

Sakura nodded. "You don't deserve to be hated." Her eyes misted over slightly as she thought of all the things she did to him when they were younger. "Naruto. I'm sorry. For everything."

"What's she talking about Dad?"

"Sakura and I used to go to school together. I had a huge crush on her at the time and was always asking her out. But she liked Sasuke, a guy in our class who didn't like anyone. The three of us got put on the same Genin team. Team Seven. Every time I said something bad about Sasuke she'd bop me on the head or somewhere else. A lot of the time I deserved it. I freely admit that." Naruto laughed lightly. "Still, when people found out about my tenant, things didn't go well and I left the village. Became a mercenary, yadda yadda yadda. And now here we are."

Naruto stood up. "Well, It's gonna be a long day tomorrow. I'm gonna go catch some shut eye."

**_Grab her kid. Come on, if we're gonna die I wanna get some action._**

_Dammit fox! I nearly forgot you were there. No we're not going on some freaking sex-crazed war path. Now shut it!_

_**Come on.**_

_No!_

**_Moron, no wonder you're still a freaking virgin. Don't know a good thing when it's handed to you on a silver platter._**

Naruto ignored the demon jailed within him.

XXXNext MorningXXX

Sakura gently knocked at the door. From behind it she heard a groan. "Naruto. Naruto wake up."

She heard some shuffling and the door opened. "Sakura? What time is it?" He yawned.

"Eight. The Hokage's summoned us."

Naruto stared ahead. "Looks like he went early. Let's go."

XXXHokage TowerXXX

Naruto walked into the building and started up the steps with Sakura walking right beside him.

The two waited at the entrance to the Tsunade's office before stepping in.

She looked up. "About time. I got a mission, actually, two missions for you. A resident of the village has requested a bodyguard while he makes his way to Suna. We're sending Neji there to negotiate a new treaty at the same time. Once he's done. You're to escort both back here."

Naruto's mouth was wide open. Had it not been hidden by his collar the look of surprise would have caught Tsunade's attention easily.

Sakura managed to hold herself together. "And, when do we leave?"

She nodded toward Neji and Kyasaru sitting in the corner fully packed. "As soon as you're done packing."

Naruto grinned beneath his collar while Neji glared at him. The group left the Hokage's office. Neji hissed low enough that only Naruto could hear. "You're lucky. But once we're back, I'm going to reveal you."

Having had his say, he took off for the North gate, the gate they'd agreed to leave from.


	22. Chapter 22

The forest path before them looked almost ominous as the five set down it. 

Neji looked straight ahead, unacknowleding of Naruto's presence within the group.

Kyasaru was talking quietly and animatedly to Rin.

The young girl seemed to have become quick friends with him.

Naruto and Sakura remained silent as well.

"So, you're really that famous?"

"Indeed. Every shinobi wants my equipment, it's the best in the five nations." He nodded towards the various pieces of armor covering vulnerable spots on her body. "That armor your wearing right now was made by me. Your father grabbed it when he saw it was your size."

Rin smiled happily. "That's my daddy. Always thinking of me."

Underneath his collar, Naruto smiled.

Kyasaru laughed a bit. "Especially when he's getting it free."

Rin's head turned straight towards Naruto. He felt a cold chill run down his back. "Cheapskate."

The tense moment went past as she returned to her conversation with the old man.

Sakura turned towards him. "Listen Nar...Uzu. Just, get away soon as you can. We'll be fine."

"No Sakura. I promised I would be available to the village for missions. And I never go back on my word."

Sakura sighed then ducked as a kunai whipped over her head. Naruto slammed his sheath down knocking it out of the way of Rin's head. Two men stepped out of the forest surroundings and glared at them. "Heh, you're fast. But give it up, you aren't any challenge for a trained ninja. Now give us all your money."

Naruto smiled.

Sakura laughed.

Neji stood.

Sakura walked forward and smiled at them. She punched a tree next to her shattering a gread deal of it. "I'm sorry, but, what was that about not being a match for trained ninja?" She reached into her pocket and brought her forhead protector out, she quickly had it wrapped around her head proudly displaying the leave emblem of Konohagakure.

Neji snorted as he walked away and Naruto moved in front of Sakura. "Sakura. Allow me."

He reached behind him for the sheath that had been returned to it's proper place.

And he drew the sword.

Rin grabbed Neji and Kyasaru out of the way, Sakura simply walked over to the side and prepared to watch.

"You tried to kill my daughter. Now you're gonna DIE!" Naruto charged forward with a sneer twisting his face.

In the blink of an eye there was a large red gash across the chest of the first ninja. The one that had thrown the kunai. At the same time the other went flying from a punishing kick.

He opened his eyes painfully as he watched Naruto stalk towards him. He began to twirl the sword in his hands, soon, he was switching hands as the sword continued to twirl.

Then the KenKitsune was gone.

The man's eyes widened in horror as the eyes in front of him turned from the icy-cold blue, into fiery hatred with slanted pupils.

Cuts started to appear as Naruto continued making the movements he began with the sword. In less than a minute, all that was left of the man were the tattered remnants of what used to be a human body.

His sword seemed to materialize in it's sheath as Naruto made his way back towards the group. "Nobody hurts my little girl and gets away with it." He continued on the path towards Suna.

Rin looked at the body as though it was something she'd seen before and rushed off after her father. The rest of the group quickly caught up.

Sakura looked over at him. "Uzu? Are, you okay?"

He looked at her revealing the change in his eyes. "I will be, Sakura. Soon as my chakra replenishes."

**_Heheh, oh kit, why don't you understand, I'm part of you. No matter what kind of seal there is, I will remain with you, and I WILL influence you._**

_Shut up fox. My life is my own. I would have killed him anyways._

The fox demon laughed.

"Uzu, hey Uzu, you listening to me." Sakura knocked on his head and brought him out of his trance.

Kyasaru stopped walking suddenly. "Well, I suppose now's as good a time as any. Miss Haruno? Could you please stop calling my grandson by that ridiculous alias?

Neji, Sakura, Rin, and surprisingly the youth once known as Naruto, stood stock still with mouths wide open.

And one thought crossed all their minds.

_What?_


	23. Chapter 23

Naruto glared at the old man. "I don't know what the hell you're babbling on about old man. But I suggest you shut it." 

Sakura placed a hand on his shoulder. "Listen, our mission is to protect him. We can't kill him."

"Sakura, take your hand off my shoulder." He waited until she complied then stormed over and grabbed the old man by his shirt. "I don't know how you know my name. But I don't have family, and if you dare say anything like that again, I will gut you regardless of the mission."

The old man smiled and made a hand sign. "Release." A puff of smoke surrounded him and when it cleared, the figure within stood a head taller than Naruto himself though the resemblance was passing at best, and his now blond locks blew in the wind. "Your name, your past is a lie. Your parents did not die during the attack of the Kyuubi no kitsune sealed within you."

Naruto stared in shock, then glared at the man in front of him. "I think, you have a story to tell. And if I don't like it, you will die."

The old man nodded and started to talk.

Konohagakure 11 years earlier.

The old man arrived in front of the gates and stepped outside the confines of the cart that had carried him the last legs to Konohagakure. He waved at the man sitting in front as he passed.

His bent body seemed to flow with anger. "Ninjas, feh." He glanced at the guards on his way in. "Where's the administrative offices?" One of them, a woman, nodded towards the tower in the distance. "Bloody ninjas. A worthless lot, all of ya."

He slowly treked towards the tower in the distance and stopped when another site came into view.

He stared at the mountain in the distance. His eyes traveled from the first hokage to the second, his glance traveled over the Sandaime, then settled on his successor, they made it no farther than that. They barely registerd the fifth face. "Bastard." He continued his walk towards the Hokage's tower and pushed the door in.

An hour later he rushed out of the building charging towards the hospital. Collapsing against the wall of the medical building he felt his eyes start to tear up. "Why? WHY!?" He stared into the sun. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT YOU JUST COULDN'T LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE COULD YOU?!"

Most of the villagers ignored the strange man. In the world of Shinobi, such a sight was far from unusual.

He walked into the hospital and quickly made his way to the fourth floor. His eyes roamed and watched a pink-haired girl on the boundary of becoming a woman looking at him. "Whi, which way is room four sixty four?"

She looked at him strangely then pointed down the hall.

He bowed to her and hurried on his way.

He halted outside the room, not wanting to see what he knew he would.

Finally, as though some magnetic force was pulling on him, he moved through the door and into his daughter's room.

Her once vibrant yellow locks had turned white, her skin was pasty, and in the darkness, she could easily have been mistaken for a specter.

"Kagura." His eyes teared up once again as he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. His mind drifted back to the man who'd captured her heart. "Damn you Arashi, you took her away from me." His eyes drifted towards the window that let the little bit of light into the room, a window that that framed the faces of the five Hokage.

"It's all your fault."

End Flashback.

"I waited there for weeks, several months in fact never leaving my daughter's side. And then, as though she sensed me, she woke up. She spoke in a voice that hadn't been used in over eighteen years. And the first thing she did was call for her son, Naruto. She, died, soon after that. Eventually I tracked down what I needed. And ever since, I've waited in that village, hoping he'd return."

Naruto glared at him and walked away.

Kyasaru made a move to follow before Sakura grabbed his arm and pulled him down shaking her head. "No, he needs to be alone. He grew up hated because of what's in him. He was an orphan who was treated like he was a curse to all humans. I have no doubt, that his fondest dream was some unknown relative appearing in his life, to take him away from that. But it never happened. He needs time."

The old man nodded as he restored the henge. "I hate Arashi for what he did to my grandson, for what he did to my daughter and his own son. I'll never forgive him, and never be sorry he's dead.

Sakura looked at him. "Arashi, you mentioned him in your story. Who is he?"

The old man looked confused. "He's Naruto's father, the fourth Hokage."

Sakura's eyes widened in shock and Neji, the unshakable and expressionless Hyuuga, fainted from the overload of information.

Kyasaru looked around sheepishly. "I'm guessing you never expected that?"

Sakura nodded, deep in thought and with a wide smile. Naruto, this, could be the way to keep Neji from talking.


End file.
